New And Evolving Threats for Civilians Caught in Civil Unrest

Do the Reconnaissance and Identify Alternate Routes

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Your safest bet to emerge from one of these confrontations unscathed is to understand what’s happening in your city. If there is a protest planned downtown, then this is not the day to hit up your favorite downtown restaurant for dinner. If you work downtown, you can always try to make arrangements to work from home that day or leave early if possible. Without a doubt, keeping you and those you love away from an active conflict zone is the most rational response. 

Unfortunately, due to the dynamic nature of these protests popping up as protestors are following law enforcement activities, you may have little warning. Many protestors are using social media to announce these activities. Even if you don’t support their cause, following some of these social media accounts is a great way to track their activities in real time. 

You can also follow local news outlets or smaller bloggers who may be reporting on the activities from a journalistic standpoint. People don’t do anything without taking videos and documenting it on social media these days. Turn these accounts into your personal recon team and understand what is happening and where. Use this to keep your family out of the fray. 

Projectiles: Understand the Difference Between Cover and Concealment

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One of the first lessons a Marine learns at Infantry School is the difference between cover and concealment. Many use these words interchangeably, but they have two different meanings. Concealment is the ability to remain unseen. You can hide in a bush and you would now have concealment. However, you would not have cover as this is the ability to remain protected from enemy fire. If you took refuge behind a brick wall you would now have cover. The perfect union where you can’t be seen and you have protection from enemy fire is known as cover and concealment. 

This is particularly important given the amount of projectiles such as rubber bullets and gas canisters are flying in all directions. Calling them less-than-lethal rounds can be a bit misleading if you catch a rubber bullet in the eye. If you are caught up in one of these protests and you can’t exit the scene, your number one priority is to find good cover. A bush offers great concealment, but won’t do much to stop a rubber bullet. Cover is what you are looking for here. 

Getting down behind a car, a brick wall and even a light pole if that is all you have is your best bet. You should still work to exit the scene as soon as it is safe to do so. This is where concealment can play a vital role. If there is a hedgerow of bushes, you could travel behind that understanding that it doesn’t offer any cover. Rather, it conceals your exit. Survey the terrain when the rubber bullets start flying and if you can find both cover and concealment in the same location, that’s a win. 

Navigating the Chaos When Smoke and Chemicals Fill the Air

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It is helpful to watch video accounts of these protests as CS gas and smoke canisters fill the air because it gives you a chance to roleplay what you would do in that scenario. Finding cover is still your best bet, but that is easier said than done when chemical agents are used. Many injuries occur from falling or tripping over items when people were not prepared to counter the threat. 

Not everyone is going to keep a full CBRN gas mask on their person at all times. Not a bad idea, but most won’t do it. Consider something along the lines of a half-face respirator that can easily fit in a backpack or glove compartment. Again, you’re not trying to stick around and fight it out with either cops or the protestors. This is about giving you the ability to exit the scene and move to safety. 

If you fail to prepare and you don’t have anything other than a handkerchief, do your best to make do. Vision will be limited and so short bursts of movement are best. Try to leap and bound from one cover location to the next until you are safely out of danger. If you just take off running through a fog of smoke and chemical irritants, you’ll only wind up hurt and unable to exit the scene. Small bursts of movement until you are no longer in danger. 

How to Make Good Decisions Under Duress

By the time I showed up in Iraq as a U.S. Marine in 2003, I had already been in the Marine Corps for six years and had ample training. However, the first time you hear the snap and crack of a bullet flying in your direction, all bets are off. The pucker factor hits a high 10 and not much can prepare you for that. 

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Thankfully, the Marine Corps teaches what is known as the OODA loop. It is a decision making process that includes Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act (OODA). When you stumble across a protest or incident of civil unrest, the first thing you should do is observe the situation and what’s happening as you process the scene. 

The next step is to orient yourself. You see the cops are ten yards to your left and the protestors are ten yards to your right. Where are you and what direction are they moving? Then you decide what to do. I’m going to back up or I’m going to reach for my respirator or I’m going to take immediate cover. Finally, you act on that decision. Once you’ve acted, you begin the OODA loop all over again. 

I also can’t emphasize enough the need to complete the last step, which is to act. What we learn in the Marines is that whether it is a good decision or a bad decision, it really doesn’t matter. Because if you make no decision then you are dead. When the crisis is unfolding, you have to pick a path and commit to it with action. If it was a bad decision, then you just try to OODA loop your way to a better decision. Observe, orient, decide, and most importantly, act. 

Civilians Can Be Misidentified by Context, Not Intent

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Finally, you have to understand that you are not the only one making decisions under duress. Law enforcement is making decisions under duress. Protestors have little experience and they don’t know what to do. Even seasoned journalists are trying to navigate the chaos under duress. Prepare yourself to be misidentified by either side or both at the same time. 

If you are not wearing a law enforcement uniform, understand that LEO is identifying you as a possible threat. Protestors are equally paranoid about counter protestors or embedded journalists with a heavy political agenda. The bottom line is that you are not safe in either crowd. There have been multiple incidents where civilians have been misidentified and took a beating from both sides. 

All you wanted to do was get home to your family and you had no ill intent or political agenda. However, you rolled up at the wrong place at the wrong time and just by being there you become a participant. Which is why we say avoid the fray altogether and if that was not possible, exit the scene using cover and concealment where available. 

Train for the Day Most People Dread

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Most people like to think that they will rise to the occasion when they stumble upon chaos. This is not true. You will not rise to the occasion. Rather, you will fall to the lowest level of your training and preparedness. If you don’t have a gas mask when the chemicals start filling the air, one is not going to magically appear when you need it most. If you’ve never run through safety scenarios with your family, they are not going to know what to do when chaos unfolds. 

We encourage everyone, even if you don’t purchase our products, please read our articles on preparedness or check out our videos on YouTube. We spend significant resources getting the information out to the public because we understand the value of good information and training. When you stumble upon civil unrest on your way home from picking up the kids at school, it is your responsibility to get them home safely. Expect no mercy from the mob of people and no help from your friends. This is on you and we’re here to help in any way that we can along the way. Keep training, preparing, and then train some more.