The 6th of January was heart-rending. It was something I never expected to see in this country to see people breaking into the capitol building, pilfering stuff there and forcing both houses of Congress to be evacuated. That is the kind of thing that happens, usually as part of a coup of some kind, in third-world countries. Yet it was alive and in color, to be seen by the entire world.
But one thing it did prove. That is, on both sides, radical extremists will do foolish stuff, like engaging in violence. In reality, people from extremist groups on both sides have been arrested and named in connection with the capitol riot. Nobody’s got a corner of folly.
I’m going to have to admit that the whole story of that incident hasn’t come out yet, and it’s very likely it’s never going to happen. As with so many other topics these days in the media, what we’re seeing is the pundits’ commentary, disguised as news. If another story suits their own political ideology, such beliefs could have little at all to do with what actually happened.
As it helps to fuel certain radical elements, this is actually very dangerous. Today’s news media is all about getting a reaction; how many “clicks” you can get. So, on both sides of the political divide, they play to the more extreme elements, and then judge their success by how great a response they get from those extreme elements.
That leaves you and me in the middle, as well as 99.9% of the rest of the population, where we’re just trying to live our lives and make it through to the next payday. Even so, we need to be concerned about those radical groups; not so much who they are, as what they are expected to do.
What they are likely to do, as we all know, is create more problems for everyone. It is not something we get to choose whether or not we are included in the category for which they cause trouble. It’s more of a spontaneous opportunity than anything else.
Nevertheless, if we somehow get in their way and become a target, there are things we can do to mitigate the risk and to ensure that we can live.
Related: How To Survive When You’re The Target Of An Angry Mob
Let’s Talk Priorities
We need to determine what our fundamental priorities are before talking about concrete steps to take. Understanding these goals is an important part of making our choices as to what we are going to do in the face of civil strife.
- Priority #1: Ensure that we and our families survive the incident without getting hurt or killed.
- Priority #22: Keep our houses from being ruined or vandalize.
- Priority X: Other priorities do not exist.
The vast distinction between priority #1 and priority #22 is deliberate. While described as a bit of a joke, the significant disparity between the two is intended to be illustrated. We can restore our homes and replace our belongings when it comes down to it, but we can’t replace our family. Next, comes taking care of them.
As for anything else, including our own political view that has to take a back seat to take care of our families. A good way to end up being part of the conflict, either as a rioter or as a survivor, is to get involved in the great political divide we have here in our country. No other categories really exist.
Save your political opinion for moments where it could make a difference, such as voting and holding a real conversation with others about the issues.
Step 1 – Avoidance
For all of us, the most important thing to do is avoid locations and events where protests are likely to spring up.
That means avoiding all of them in today’s heated political environment. Because of coronavirus lockdowns and the challenges we’ve all encountered over the past year, people are now loaded to the brim with frustration. It doesn’t take anything to make them go over the edge, which may very well mean that the crowd turns into an angry mob in a crowded environment.
So, what areas are these? They can be anywhere where large numbers of individuals gather. They are most likely, though, to be in public areas, near to government seats. Outside of local government offices is where most of the demonstrations and disturbances over the past year have taken place. Some have also taken place in front of state capitol buildings.
The most dangerous place to be is political protests or demonstrations of any kind. In certain situations, the issue is not the individuals that are there for the protest, but skilled agitators who are brought in for the particular purpose of attempting to turn the demonstration into a violent riot.
Such individuals are educated in what they do. They know how to tap into people’s rage and resentment, turning it into something nasty.
They’ll back off and hide out of the crowd once they get things moving, so they can escape prosecution and live to agitate for another day.
What this means if the violence that goes on in many protests is not likely to be initiated by the protesters or for the protesters’ purposes. We saw it in both the BLM protests and probably in the Capitol building break-in on January 6th.
Saying away doesn’t mean you have to give up your political views or even give up letting our elected legislators know what you’re thinking about the issues at stake. It basically means seeking other ways to share your view, such as calling their offices or sending an e-mail to them.
If You’re Caught in a Violent Protest
There’s always a risk that you could find yourself trapped in an unfolding mob situation, regardless of how hard you try to stay out of the fray. Evidently, that is really risky. You may not even know that an event is occurring or that the event may end up arriving where you are.
Maintaining clear knowledge of conditions will help you prevent this. You are likely to see an emotion-charged crowd emerging if you’re always trying to see what risks there could be around you. That will be a good sign that, before anything more can happen, it is time to leave.
But even then, without attracting attention, you could find it difficult to leave. The most important thing to do in that situation is blend in like you’re part of the gang. The simple mob mentality is that you’re an enemy because you’re not with them. Since enemies get targeted, acting like you’re one of them is much better than acting any other way.
That’s not to suggest you’re becoming part of the gang. Keep your mind open, so you’re not falling into that pit. When you let your feelings get the best of you, it can be very tempting to become part of what you’re trying to stop. In cases where you might side with the protesters, this is much truer.
Instead, you want to gradually work your way to the edge of the crowd and then make your escape a good one. Don’t take the edge with a direct line, as it might make you stand out. Rather, step towards the edge slowly and steadily, all the while heading in other directions, such as a sailboat tacking into the wind. Then you can slip behind something that hides you from the view of the crowd and make your escape a good one when you are on the verge and the opportunity presents itself.
What About Weapons?
The last thing you want to do, even if you carry concealed every day, like I do, is take your gun out in this kind of situation. That also goes for every other firearm.
There are just too many people, for you to deal with, no matter how good you are.
Eventually, you’re either going to run out of bullets or power, and then the crowd is going to have their own way with you, kicking you to death, potentially.
It is a numbers problem. I hold a five-round magazine pistol and two spare seven-round extended magazines. So, with a round in the chamber, I’ve got 20 rounds in all. Even if every 20 times I make a killing headshot, I’ve done nothing more than scratch the surface of that crowd, while further enraging everyone else. I probably won’t have to think about my court case for self-defense, because I’m not going to be around to make that case.
Related: 5 Best Guns to Have Against Looting Rioters
If You’re in a Vehicle
It would not always be to your advantage to be in a car. Although the body of the vehicle provides some defense against thrown rocks and baseball bat blows, the vehicle will suffer for it. They’ll probably go for the windshield and other glass pretty quickly if things get to that; none of which will withstand much violence.
You will not be able to see well enough to drive safely, even though they do not break through the windshield.
Protesters who block traffic depend on you to stop. But it makes you more insecure if you do. If you keep going slowly, pressing against their bodies and forcing them to let you through, you’re probably better off. Don’t ram them and don’t try to drive over them, just slowly keep going forward.
For ethical purposes, this is risky. While it is the type of advice that has been offered for decades, the laws have never addressed the problem in most states. Some states have passed laws that encourage drivers to continue driving through the mob; but even then, there would be a point at which the courts say that instead of only trying to get through the crowd, there was intent to do serious harm.
Your only viable defense here is to do so in defense of yourself. Which implies that there is an immediate life and limb hazard using the criteria.
There’s an imminent threat, in other words, that the mob will either badly harm you or kill you. You have been picked out and they take offensive action against you, such as attempting to rock your car to turn it over.
You’ve got a hard time proving that it was self-defense without anything like that, so make sure you give the protestors enough opportunity to get out of your way.
Protecting Your Home
Even if you plan to stay home and away from any location where violence may occur, you are still at risk of violence coming to find you.
Although the vast majority of these incidents occur in nearby government buildings, going beyond that city and into adjacent business districts and even suburban areas is not all that rare for demonstrations or protests.
If you live in an affluent neighborhood or the mayor of the city lives in the construction of your housing, their home could be attacked, placing your family at risk because of proximity.
Related: Spider Hole Tactics to Defend Against Looters
That’s what happened to the McCloskeys, the couple who were charged in June 2020 with defending their home in Saint Louis.
The protest broke into their gated community during the Black Lives Matter protest, because the mayor lived there and they were videotaped standing before their house, armed, guarding it.
The case became particularly contentious, with the DA charging them with unauthorized use of a weapon, around the lowest-level crime you can be charged with involving a firearm.
To secure your house, I highly recommend getting guns, but not like the McCloskeys did. The fault they made was not to have the guns or to be prepared to protect their house, but to let the mob know that they had it. On the part of some demonstrators, that invoked rage, putting them at risk of criminal charges. Yeah, and they reside in a society that has passed the Doctrine of the Castle into law, by the way.
The key here is to keep your home defenses concealed from view.
Don’t advertise, even though you need to be prepared to protect your home and family.
In other words, don’t go outside and brandish a pistol.
If you’re going to have a gun on your body, just have it slung around your chest in a holster with your hands off it.
If it looks like a mob is going to invade your house, there’ll be plenty of time to draw your gun. You have to move to take action then and only then. Let the first aggressive action be made by them and make sure you have it on video.
Should You Flee?
On the Castle Doctrine or Stand Your Ground laws, multiple states have different views. Finding out what the state thinks will be a smart idea. But you should think through, regardless of that, whether you’re going to leave your home or whether you’re going to stay to protect it.
Although I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, carry concealed every day and frequently go to the range for tactical practice, I also understand the inherent risks of using a firearm to protect myself.
My fundamental position is to ensure that I am prepared to protect myself and my family as much as possible and then do whatever possible to avoid having to. With the old saying, “Discretion is the better part of valor,” I have no question.
The idea that you should get off scott-free from murdering someone in self-defense is wearing thin in today’s political climate. And though we still have the right legally, there is always the risk that you will be fined, just as the McCloskeys were. They didn’t fire a shot, thank goodness, as it would have been worse for them.
When there is crime nearby and moving to a safer place, there is nothing shameful about leaving your house.
Instead of effectively protecting your home, there’s no assurance that you will not be the one to get shot.
You should be better off not taking the risk.
Related: 3 Best Pre-Built Shelters for a Disaster
If You Have to Fire
There are a few simple rules that you should remember to practice if you find yourself in a situation where you have to take up arms to protect your home. Second, make sure that any action you take is action taken in self-defense without a doubt. That means, even though that puts you at risk, allowing them take the first shot.
Get it on video, secondly. Have a member of the family take a video of all that’s going on, so you can focus on protecting your house. The video is proof that you can use to justify your acts, especially if it demonstrates that the mob started the violence.
Be sure that the person you shoot at is really a threat if you have to take a shot, taking time to target carefully so that you don’t miss. Try to shoot the leader if there are others who are a threat, as shooting out the leader would appear to demotivate others which may lead to the attack breaking up.
