Riot Security

Dealing with a riot and looters is such a different thing compared to combat or common crime. Rioters and looters are not rational. They cannot be reasoned with. They have a “mob” mentality. Society is a fragile thing and sometimes it doesn’t take much to set it off. It can be anything from a jury decision, to a natural disaster, to a political demonstration. Any community can be affected by this, a small town or a large city. As things get more troubled in the last days, we will see more and more of this. Here are some ways to deal with it if you ever find yourself having to deal with a riot.

Don’t go out at night. My Father used to say, “Nothing good happens after midnight.” Darkness brings out the craziness in people. For some reason they think they can get away with more at 3 in the morning than at noon. Violence thrives in the darkness. Don’t go out unless you have an emergency during the chaos of a demonstration or riot.

Blend in. If you absolutely must go out or through a protest, try to look like they do. Grad a sign if you can. The thing you should never do is let anyone know you are not on their side. In the middle of a demonstration is no time to voice an opposing opinion! You don’t want 60 angry protesters seeing you as the enemy.

Stay in Control. Control your emotions. When you see the idiocy of looting going on that is not the time to try and teach honesty. Looters are usually those who are not the sharpest knife in the drawer. But they probably understand violence and how to stop anyone from taking “their” property. Just keep moving.

Always have your EDC. If you carry a weapon you should always carry it. You never know when problems will strike or a demonstration will turn ugly. EDC means just that, every day carry. If I were to have to go out when a riot or demonstration was in progress, I would probably not only carry my primary carry gun, but I’d also have a secondary on my ankle or in my pocket. I also carry a tactical pen and a knife.

Travel Route. If you must go out during a disturbance like a riot or demonstration don’t try to go through the mess. Go out of your way if you must. If you find yourself in the middle of a mob don’t try to fight against the direction they are headed. Go with the flow. Inch your way to the side to go around them, or to slowly get through. Blending in is important.

Stay away from the hub. There is always a leader and a “center” of a mob. The leader will be louder than anyone else. Most of the attention will be on him/her. What the leader does or says, usually the pack will follow. Being close to the leader is being in a dangerous place. Keep your distance from them.

Be Prepared to Fight. If you have followed the previous suggestions then you should not have to fight. But a mob is very unpredictable. Things can change real fast out there. It is a volatile situation. You could find yourself in a fight in a moment so you should be ready.

The rule of law is pretty fragile. With care and some training you can find ways to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Get trained. Find a good defensive pistol course or a combat type course. Learn what you can from others with experience.

Personal protection is a journey not a destination. Learn all you can and be smart and you can avoid a situation like Ferguson, MO, LA and Rodney King, or even Katrina.

Semper Paratus
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