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Scenario 09 · Local and usually brief

Civil unrest and street violence

Riots are usually local and last hours or a few days. The golden rule is simple: avoid them. Almost everything you can do comes down to finding out early and not being where you don't need to be.

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Before

  • Follow local news when there's tension: planned protests, controversial verdicts or service cuts.
  • Know alternative routes between home, work and school. Mark them on your map.
  • Keep your tank above half, cash and a few days of food so you don't need to go out.

During

  • Stay home or leave the area early, before streets close.
  • Don't go to watch or film: it makes you part of the crowd and a target.
  • Blend in: low-key clothing, no symbols or colors of any group. See the gray man principle.

If you're caught in the middle

  1. Don't move against the crowd: go diagonally toward the edges, close to the buildings.
  2. Look for a way out, such as a side street, a doorway or a shop that lets you in, and get away.
  3. If you fall, protect your head and get up as soon as you can.
  4. Agree a meeting point with whoever you're with in case you get separated.

In a car

  • Lock the doors and close the windows.
  • If the street ahead is blocked, turn around early. Don't try to drive through people.
  • If the car is at risk of being set on fire or trapped, leave it: your safety comes first.

Tear gas

Move upwind toward high, open ground. Don't rub your eyes. Flush them with plenty of water and remove contact lenses. Change clothes and take a cold shower as soon as you can.