Violent protests and even riots are not as rare as they should be these days. Donald Trump’s victory has a lot of people upset, some of which care little for the rule of law. Protests are already occurring in several major cities around the country, and despite how the media portrays them, they are violent and dangerous to those in the area, especially those the rioters disagree with. If you are living or working in a large urban area, whether or not you are a Trump supporter (since we have seen a mob mistakenly attack and beat a Sanders supporter outside a Trump rally) you need to recognize the increased threat level and act accordingly.
- Keep enough supplies on hand that you are not forced to go out for food or prescription medication when it is unsafe. Given the lack of options (Trump is not likely to refuse the presidency based on vandalism and threats) things should return to normal in soon, a week’s worth of supplies should be enough.
- Arm yourself as much as your situation allows for. Ideally, you should not be without a firearm on any day, let alone times of tension. Given the threat currently is from mob violence, those that cannot carry a firearm should consider getting “bear spray” or other large pepper sprays that are capable of reaching out to 20 feet or more and spraying for 70 seconds or more.
- Try to blend in. Now is not the time to wear a “Make America Great Again” hat in downtown Chicago, for instance, and sadly, you’d probably be wise to avoid even clothing with American flag insignia.
- Check the news and avoid areas where protests are taking place.
- Do not stop your vehicle for protesters. You can avoid them if possible, hit them when you have to, but it is most important to not allow them to stop your vehicle.
- Don’t clash with protesters. Whether or not you are a tough guy, or armed, do not clash with protesters. When you are outnumbered you are at a great disadvantage, and if you do succeed in defending yourself physically you may have to defend yourself legally afterwards, which will be much harder if you were not trying to avoid a confrontation.
So far things haven’t gotten too out of hand, but you don’t want to take the threat lightly and suffer the consequences. It’s better to be prepared and avoid the threat than to overlook it and be forced to defend yourself against it.
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