What To Do In A Riot And How To Get Out…

how-to-get-out-of-a-riot

Rule #1, don’t be in a riot.

With that said, lets say that you are NOT there to antagonize or disrupt, but your circumstances have you caught up in a riot. What do you do? How do you get out of a riot safely?

Here are several tips to help you get out of a riot:


 
The Police
When things get ‘stupid’, no matter your good intentions or circumstances being there, the police (if they are there) may have a difficult time distinguishing between the ‘good guy’ and the ‘bad guy’, or those who are the antagonizers amidst the chaos. So, be careful with that. You are all potentially disruptors in their eyes during a riot. When the police get the order to quell the riot, it doesn’t matter who you are or what your intentions are…

 
The Contagion Of Emotional Stress
In a large crowd, the energy of mass emotion can be contagious and rapidly spiral out of control. It often will only take one person to set a chain reaction in motion of high emotion or chaos. A riot may have been started by agitators who have been planted there to set things in motion. If you happen to be physically near a center of agitation within a riot, keep your emotions in check while you attempt to get out of there. Do not take the bait. With that said however, when it comes to physically defending yourself if attacked – that’s another story… you have that right as a human being.

 
Do Not Engage
The presumption here is that you have not intended to participate in a riot, so do not engage with others. How? By not locking gaze with an agitator while you attempt to walk out. Keep your head down but maintain situational awareness. Do not be singled out – just keep moving without engaging. Even if your emotional state wants to challenge the BS, don’t do it. There’s absolutely nothing to gain – you are not going to change anyone’s mind at this point…

 
How To Get Out And Escape A Riot
Keep walking. Do not stop. Do not run. Look for the edges of the riot and head there. Even if you need to cross the street to get to where you’re going, but there’s riotous chaos going on there – go further or around if you have to. Avoidance. If there is a store or other building to use as shelter, you might go there for awhile and wait (though beware of potential looting). Look for bottlenecks of people as they are moving – and don’t go there… Be inconspicuous. Do not walk ‘against the crowd’. Stay with the general flow as you head to the sidelines. Watch your footing as you walk so you don’t fall down and get trampled…

 
CONCLUSION
Today’s world is a tinder-box of many people who are not happy with their circumstances. Couple that with ‘powers-that-be’ who wish to agitate (divide and conquer) in an attempt to control an outcome. We are living in unprecedented and dangerous times. Be careful out there, and watch your back… there are tumultuous times ahead.

Your recommendations?…

54 Comments

    1. Why not extend that to don’t leave your house, Or don’t leave your room.or don’t get out of bed? Some people live,work,shop in the cities so could get caught up in a mess. You don’t even need to be in a city. many years ago I was caught up in a riot at Lion’s Drag strip in Orange County Ca. At the time this was in the middle of nowhere. Never did know what started it but all of a sudden they were tearing down the staging lights,turning over food and bear trailers and setting cars on fire. There was only one road in or out and that was blocked by people trying to leave so even Law Enforcement couldn’t get in to help. While your advise might work for some 90% of people are going to be in a city at some point

      1. Life is all about decisions. Limiting risk lowers stress. I love low stress, some love high stress. And the world goes around and around.

  1. If caught in a Riot situation, you can be assured that ‘politeness’ is definitely not the way to go. You must ‘Bull’ your way out of the mass as quickly as possible. You are now a ‘football player’ heading for the ‘goal line’, letting nobody stop you! GO, GO, GO! No stopping until completely clear.

    1. CHIEF:
      I know exactly what you’re saying. Years ago, when I was a teenager, I was caught up in a ‘riot’ outside a stadium. Absolutely helpless in the flow of the crowd. Fortunately, I Was with several H.S. Football players at the time, and they just started plowing their way through, with me right behind them. We made it out just before things got out of hand. If we didn’t escape when we did, we would have become rioters ourselves, without intending to be. All a matter of timing.

  2. Thinking about the dynamics here. In their early stages it looks like mobs are loosely organized, just a bunch of people heading in the same general direction. Seems that in this stage the best option might be to stay where you are and let them all pass, letting the contagion move past you until you’re on the fringes and can walk away.

    2nd stage seems to be where people start to get hurt. Move with the group but slowly, again migrating toward the edges. I would not suggest going into any buildings because looting is likely to start and if you’re seen going into a building you’re likely to be assumed to be a looter (or people will follow you and start looting). That being said, immediate survival has got to be your goal. By this time you may know the goal of the mob, as well as its general makeup, and be able to tell if the fringes would be more dangerous. Helping someone who’s already injured might get you out of it as the mob moves beyond.

    If you’re not out of it by the time the mob gains cohesion, I don’t know if you’re getting out. In the videos I seem to see a lot of fights going on as people run away, the edges (enforcers?) setting on anyone who tries to get out.

    All based on media observation–I’ve never been in this situation, so take it for what it’s worth.

    1. Lauren,

      I have grey hair and wrinkles. If I ever get in that situation, I might be able to convince the enforcers that I can’t keep up, and keep falling back. That might work for others, too, if they pretended to walk with a noticeable limp.

      Lucky I live in a rural area, where we don’t have riots.

  3. Thank goodness there aren’t enough people within 65 miles to have a riot!

    1. From one Old Lady to another:

      Maybe the two of us could get together and have a two lady riot.

    2. @ old lady & DaisyK & DD from Maine

      How about we call it the “OLOM Against the Young-ens Riot” and I could join in???
      Heck I’ll even bring the BenGay & Vapor Rub HAHAHA

      NRP

      1. Is that you, NRP?

        Men welcome!

        Let’s see, we have Maine and Wyoming and Four Corners, and where is the other Old Person?

        1. Oh Gee! The cat has only started his vacation and already the mice are starting a riot!

        2. @ DaisyK

          And just think, Ken’s (out of the country, “Californian”) visitors are not set to arrive till Tuesday, can ya just think on what’s going to happen??? HAHAHAH

          NRP

      2. Don’t tell me that you plan on keeping me out of this club. I can raise a ruckus myself.

        1. @ old lady, DaisyK, DD from Maine, and Peanut Gallery

          So exactly where are we planning on having this Riot? I’m thinking in Ken’s neighborhood????

          That way we can all see his reaction to a riot and how he would escape the mayhem. I mean after all 4 old Ladies and an Old fart, we could make the place look like the 67 riots at Haight-Ashbury. :-) :-) and yes I remember them well HAHAHA Mostly. BUT I never inhaled.

          Y-all I think we have an event to organize… LOLOL Wonder if we could get Hillary Clinton to be guest speaker. HAHAHA

          NRP

        2. I’m sure that Hilary would love to speak for her reduced fee of $250,000 for 20 minutes. Maybe if we all took a collection???? : )

        3. @ DaisyK and aka

          I believe you have the decimal point in the wrong place there Daisy, more like 25¢ HAHAHA

          Love ya kid
          NRP

        4. love to have started the riot! I am also in NM just south of NPR. We could have the riot at the Very large Aray, lots of room, no people and great hamburgers right down the road. Only restaurant for 20 miles.

        5. What restaurant are we talking about? I have a favorite little place in Datil New Mexico. In fact, think it the only place in Datil. Store, restaurant, gas station and 3 or 4 rooms for the night. Awesome breakfasts by the fireplace.

        6. I believe the place is called the Eagle Guest Ranch. It’s at the corner of hwys 60 and 12.

        7. I bet the feds have already surrounded the Very Large Array, guns drawn, just waiting for us to show up. Do you suppose they are reading these posts?

        8. @ Texasprepper and the VLA riot gang

          Yeppers ,sounds like Eagle Guest Ranch is the place….
          Been there done that, and have spent many a nights up on Mag Mountain doing research.
          Talk about a place to “get away” hahahaha.
          DaisyK, the Feds are always there… HAHAHA; neat place to visit, interesting stuff going on there.

          NRP

  4. good post.

    re the buildings as safety…besides looting potential risks,
    in many riots I have seen on t.v.,
    rioters seem to often set buildings on fire.

    1. If posssible, use an office building, not a “store-front” as an escape route, but even a store-front would have a back door. Don’t use the building as a shelter, but as a route out of the area. Pass thru the building to what, hopefully, would be a quieter street and on out of the area.

        1. One of the potential scenarios that may be used by ‘bad guys’ is to detonate a single bomb (ex.truck bomb) and then follow up with additional bombs thrown in stores/restaurants that people have attempted to seek shelter in- yes, use these places to get away from the crowd, but immediately look for back/emergency exits and get away from the area!

  5. (Think…..you might be a redneck if……..)

    You might be a clueless sheep if……..

    …..The news is reporting plans for a protest in an area that you have planned a shopping trip…….and you go anyway.

    …..You are at work and civil unrest develops outside your workplace and you decide to navigate the crowd instead of sheltering in place until it’s over…… (a few exceptions apply)

    …..You drive up to a police barricade blocking the route to your destination, due to civil disorder, and you demand to go through.(or immediately look to circumvent the perimeter)

    …..You are told by a police officer to go the other way and you demand an explanation as to why.

    …..You are trying to “escape” the riot while wearing a “Che'” T-shirt or some other anti-government logo, and expect to be treated as a victim, not as a participant.

    …..You wander around, muddling through your daily activities, oblivious to what is happening around you.

    Now, to the subject at hand. If you’re walking through the woods and encounter a bear, you will try avoiding it first, if you can’t avoid it, can’t outrun it, you will have to fight it, not only fight it, understand if you don’t win, you surely will die or be severely injured. If you encounter a creek, you will have to decide if it is too wide to jump over, too deep to wade, or if your destination is worth the swim. If you decide it is not worth the swim, change your destination or camp where you’re at for the night.

      1. cossack55,

        Nah, some people just beg to be eliminated from the gene pool.

        1. Yep I am a big fan of Darwinism. Then the world got PC and started to help the ones that should have been weeded out survive.

  6. Just like in a restaurant, you should pick your spot carefully if you are forced to be in with a crowd. We always try to hug the outer edges of a crowd versus being in the middle of the crowd. Quicker escape if needed, making sure there is a clear route of egress if needed.

  7. I’ve never been a big fan of crowds, except way back when I used to go to rock concerts. If I hear of a problem in the city I live in, I avoid the area, drive a different route, take back streets. At sports events I sometimes stand up and watch near the exits, leave early. Avoidance is key, if at all possible.

  8. Tomorrow we have to go to the illustrious city of Eugene Oregon for a dental app. for dw, we have plotted a route that takes us directly to the dentist office bypassing all congested areas, they constantly have protests in that city and we should be able to bypass all the areas where we could could caught up in the stupidness, that’s how we do it.

  9. What is a riot to some may not be a riot to you. When the silent majority has had enough of repression, the avalanche of regulations, corruption, political correctness, illegal immigration, over taxation of your money to give to the free s**t army, anchor babies, affirmative action ….. and people take to the streets – will you stand or run?

    I am not a trained military person so this opinion is only mine. If confronted you have choices but I suggest that you first consider the enemy against you. Can you overcome them with overwhelming force as it must be? Can you evade if necessary? Before you take up the arms you must consider that once the fight has begun, you must never give up and you may have to save a few rounds for yourself and family – the consequences in this screwed up world may result in torture horrors that can not be discussed on this site. Also, you must be very sure of the support you have around you – do not over estimate the support from the people around you.

    So choose to join the freedom fight which the corrupt will call a riot or retreat to a safer place and hope that the entire country is not lost with the troubles coming to your location sooner or later.

  10. Most riots start because during a protest, event, or an unusual social trigger. In other words riots don’t generally flare up out of thin air. Practicing situational awareness includes keeping a finger on the pulse of the community. I don’t actively avoid going to the city, I have to go for work. If there is a protest down town I do avoid that area or leave when I hear about one coming. For some reason cities like to riot after sporting events, I stay home and watch it on TV. Major criminal cases involving a potential verdict for a cop.. stay out of town! Now I know this does not account for every possible situation and prevent you form being 100% able to avoid a riot but I fully believe most bad situations can be avoided. If you find yourself in a riot I agree with the article; stay the grey man and get out of the area.

    1. The first thing you should try to do is to avoid large crowds of blacks if you don’t have a similar skin color. When the stuff hits the ventilator it’s “Get whitey!” and guess who they’re coming for?

      Second, don’t draw attention to yourself (which fits in with the first rule). Just keep to the shadows and slowly head away from the problem. The advice about using a building as an escape route is good.

      Third…avoid interactions with the cops if possible. They’re on edge to begin with and aren’t in the mood to do fine distinctions as to who is a perpetrator and who isn’t. This is especially true if you have a certain “look,” however the cops might define it. Since you don’t know what the cops’ definition of “the look” is, keep your distance from the cops if you can since you may fit “the look.”

      Fourth…if all else fails, remember why the Second Amendment exists.

      1. At the same token, if you’re a black or a brown face, stay away from an all-white riot, also.

  11. I have been in a riot once as a scared 18 year old kid/man with an M-16 in his hand with a fixed bayonet. In April 5 1968 the 82nd Airborne Division was sent to Washington DC to quell the riots from the killing of Martin L. King. Not having much training we learned quickly. Our formations were the “frontal” meaning we were abreast in formation, Echelon Right or Left an effort to drive protestors into side streets, Flying Wedge another effort to break up the mob. In all of these formations we had anything from a squad to a platoon in reserves behind us in a square formation to fill in any gaps or to break off and push rioters down the side streets. We also had snipers who were to shoot leaders (those with bull horns) or counter sniper for people who were on roof tops throwing rocks, bricks, molotove cocktails and yes they were shooting at us and the firemen who were trying to put out fires. It was a very tense time in the US history.
    Your best bet is if you see a mob forming is to go the opposite direction as fast as you can walk don’t run it will make you a target of the mob.

  12. Only uncontrollable mob I face now are mosquitos, but got caught at a rock concert being squished by a mob of idiots. I had to go with the flow of people. I lifted my feet off the ground and was carried by the squish into the auditorium. I left before the concert was over to avoid the squish, and went outside and saw the riot over turned vehicles and set them on fire outside the door. Since then I didn’t go again to rock concerts again.

  13. In Chicago 1968 the cops and the National Guard came from opposite directions on Michigan avenue, squeezed the crowd in front of the Hilton, and people went through the plate glass. So avoid the crush I would say.
    Also, keep an eye out for various sundry items flying through the air.
    And as we’ve seen from the running of the bulls, take care not to trip and fall beneath the onslaught of the trampling hordes.

  14. Now that I’m retired from driving ambulance, I can avoid riots or watch from a distance. When I drove ambulance, I frequently did not have a choice. Frequently we received calls to pick up injured parties within the crowd at concerts. If it was too rowdy (evidenced by burning things and or lots of flying objects) we were ordered not to proceed further and back out. Riots are one thing. Generally they stay localized within a set geographic area but they can grow. Mobs and mob mentality are another thing entirely. Mobs are mobile.

    For me the worst feeling in the world was leaving my secure home and loved ones in order to go to work under emergency conditions and driving my rig toward that portion of the city that was burning (Rodney King Riots 1)

    So, Old Lady, Daisy K, NRP and DD in Maine and Peanut Gallery – Have fun at your “Riot” sounds too rowdy for me and it is past my bedtime. Remember: it is all fun until somebody needs an ambulance.

    1. @ CalifRefugee

      Not too worried about affecting the News Cycle with our little Riot of 6 old people that’s located 4.8 miles from BFE … HAHAHA I mean like in the middle of the New Mexico desert. I will admit me may be able to set fire to a free standing cactus if we bring along some extra fuel… LOL

      But ya gata have a little fun if ya get a chance… HAHAHA

      NRP

    2. CaliRefugee:

      You must have missed the post where Ken said he would be mostly out of touch for a few days and told certain ones of us not to get in any trouble. We were just checking to see how long it would be before he noticed.

      Don’t worry, this would be just a practice run, a teaching lesson for all of us on this site on how to escape from a riot.

      NRP:

      Not 6 of us, but 9. If I come, I will have to bring my pets — a dog, a cat, and a gremlin. They can chase each other around. I like your idea of setting fire to a cactus.

      1. @ DaisyK

        Well if that’s the case, I’m bringing Blue and a HUGE tub for water…… After all he is a Black Lab in the middle of NM.

        And CalifRefugee, come-on-down, the Snakes actually taste good roasted on a burning cactus. Gata gut and skin em first though. Well and remove the rattlers.

        I’ll bring the homebrew :-)

        NRP

  15. Oh man! My country is a biggest tinder box, this informations are very precious, thanks!

  16. when moving to the edges of a riot, make sure there are no big plate glass windows (store fronts) they are not fun to be pushed through. Unfortunately I work in Seattle and there is always a protest going on, ready to turn riot at any moment. I have alternate routes, contingency plans, hiding place, mace and a knife handy. I have enough food and water to hunker down at work for several days. My car is equipt for about a week, including tent & other necessities. I also have an alternate route in case the bridges collapse in an earthquake. Seattle is in a building boom and there is no emergency plan for an earthquake, crazy huh!

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