Comments on: How to Survive a Riot: What to do if you find yourself in the Middle of a Riot

By: Jim

Jim — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 17:16:14 +0000

In reply to Jake. Use wasp and hornet spray.

By: mplo

mplo — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 13:44:08 +0000

When Boston’s Federal Court-mandated, large-scale, cross-city school busing edict took Boston by storm beginning in the mid-1970’s (a storm that lasted well over a decade), riots broke out in many of Boston’s white working-class ethnic enclaves that rivaled many of those that had taken place in the Southern part of the United States a decade before. Crowds thronged the sidewalks and the streets, and people stood on their doorsteps and hung out their windows, shouting all kinds of invective (racial and other wise) throwing rocks, bottles, bricks, and even bananas and other fruit at busloads of African-American students, and at the TPF (Tactical Patrol Force) policemen who were assigned to maintain order in the neighborhoods affected by the Federal Court ordered busing. Buses were damaged, and several blacks on the buses were injured by rocks and flying glass, and attacked physically by vicious mobs when they embarked off of the buses and into the schools in Boston’s white working-class ethnic neighborhoods, as well as when they were inside the schools, especially the high schools in those areas. The rhythmic racist chantings could be heard for miles around. Angry white mobs also took their anger out on the TPF patrolmen who’d been assigned to maintain order in the neighborhoods, throwing rocks, bottles, and other stuff at the police, insulting them, and overturning and setting fire to police cars.

Racial tensions in Boston, which had already been quite high prior to the Federal court order being implemented, soared so far up over the boiling point that it would take a few decades before Boston could even start to really recover from it. Incidents in both white and black neighborhoods were a cyclical pattern, resulting in serious injury, and/or even death.

Stabbings, beatings and shootings were not uncommon, and people who took a wrong turn and ended up in the wrong neighborhoods were often attacked, viciously. This was a very ugly and dangerous time for many people,

By: Guy with a gun

Guy with a gun — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 22:06:22 +0000

In reply to Msteele92.

Mace is terrible. If you don’t end up effecting multiple people (read article you just read) you may trigger worse in the crowd. If there’s cops they’ve probably already maced people l.. they won’t like more of that. And there is never a bad time to legally carry a gun in my humble opinion. Now I don’t condone bring a shotgun or rifle to a riot, that’s dumb. Conceal a pistol and keep your head down, move out of the crowd asap. If you have to shoot somewon to stay alive do it, I’ve been in some bad places when people brought out the worst in humanity. If hadn’t shot I might not be here to pointlessly argue this on the internet.

And no I don’t think your a liberal or whatever other excuse people have for calling you out and being rude

By: LindainCO

LindainCO — Fri, 11 Nov 2016 01:15:20 +0000

In reply to Too Sad. I agree, I was 8 months pregnant with a 2 year old in a stroller and got into a peace March. Very calm and my fiance, who was a 2nd Louie in Nam was fully supportive. Right now. My granddaughter is at a protest, and I don't like it at all. She's only 17 and probably clueless.

By: mikeylikesit

mikeylikesit — Sat, 30 Apr 2016 13:10:28 +0000

In reply to Doctor 111 trillion. Good point. However, when I read this article, I immediately thought of the Rodney King riots in LA, where I grew up. Unfortunately, things may escalate to the point riots may not be avoided if you live in the affected area.

By: TPSnodgrass

TPSnodgrass — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 17:51:13 +0000

I have officially/lawfully used Pepper/OC/Tear gas spray combination in protecting myself during a large crowd confrontation. It IS easily controllable when deployed, provided you know how/when to apply it, AND, directed at WHOM(needing it the most). No one got irate, they just fled away as fast as possible. Worked like a charm. The crowd itself turned on each other PRIOR to me deploying the spray, I took several wild lumps from morons that were attacking everybody including their pals they came to the riot with. OC/Pepper/tear gas combination spray IS an effective tool to have at your disposal. For the record, I no longer am at riot scenes having retired awhile ago. I avoid large crowds period, because nothing good happens after midnight,OR, in large crowds.That’s just MY subjective opinion, as always YMMV.

By: Too Sad

Too Sad — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 07:58:48 +0000

Back in the day (late sixties/early seventies) a peaceful rally or a peaceful demonstration was a kind of celebration, not unlike a country fair. You could bring the kids and have a nice day listening to music and chatting with friends. What you see on old news about that time distorts the actual calm and genuine peacefulness of all but a very few of such gatherings. I Was There. And I have lived and worked through several riots. It is frightening and unpredictable. People who are with the group can go from participant to victim. The best place to be in a riot is somewhere else. I avoid large groups of people. I don’t trust professional sports events or entertainment events. It is too bad because I enjoyed crowds but not any more.

By: A guy

A guy — Sat, 14 Jun 2014 04:58:52 +0000

In reply to John. Ha as if calling him a democrat is an insult...sigh what Ev just roll with what you feel is right and stop bullshitting all over other pals opinions John

By: Lin

Lin — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 22:14:14 +0000

“Just a protest in Madison….”. I was there at The Tea Party….. the liberal mobs were out of control and frightening.

By: Linnie

Linnie — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 22:12:20 +0000

In reply to Msteele92. Could only have been said by a liberal. The mobs were terrifying. I was there.