Civil unrest takes many forms. Whether it’s in its beginning stages or has turned into running battles between authorities and bands of protestors, one thing holds true: Civil unrest is a dangerous place to be.
It’s one of those times when rationality and solid reasoning are suspended, which can result in simple misunderstandings that end tragically.
Below are some tips on things you should definitely not do if you are serious about increasing your chances of survival. Not all protests are deadly, but they can easily turn that way. This article will help you avoid being the “wrong person, in the wrong place, at the wrong time.”
Engage in Filming and Recording Photography Activities
During civil unrest, you must not be caught filming, photographing, or recording any of the action. You could be mistaken for a spy or someone gathering information for authorities or opposition groups.
Many protestors would not want “proof” to exist showing actions or atrocities they commit. Pointing your phone at an act of public violence could easily result in you becoming the next victim of the mob perpetrating the violence.
Display Symbols or Affiliations Associated With Oppressive Regimes or Extremist Groups
During civil unrest, you must absolutely not display symbols, signs, credentials, affiliations, or any other marks, colors, or anything that could identify you as a potential enemy.
Related: Signs You’re Being Tracked by 3-Letter Agencies
Engage in Acts of Violence or Aggression Towards Others
During civil unrest, you must absolutely never pick a fight or incite violence.
The issue is that protestors and authorities alike are primed and ready to take action.
In circumstances of heightened tension, where individuals and groups are hyper-vigilant and constantly looking for signs of trouble, raised voices or people pushing each other can turn into mob violence in the blink of an eye.
So, to avoid getting swamped by people primed for action, stare at the floor, walk straight ahead, avoid eye contact, and talk politely, but keep your tone neutral.
Associate With Repressive Organizations or Align Yourself With Oppressive Ideologies
One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. We have heard this a lot. We often think of conflict or civil unrest as a conflict between legitimate authorities and protesters. Still, authorities are usually not legitimate, and from a moral perspective, we should support the protestors.
So unless you have a dog in the fight, the rule is as follows: During civil unrest, you must absolutely not align yourself with organizations or individuals who seek to limit freedoms or freedom of speech or want to implement harsh measures of control on broad swaths of the population, as these will almost always be the bad guys.
Neutrality is the best way to go. Unless someone has a gun to your head, in which case I suggest you call him sir, do what he asks, and agree that whatever he says is right.
⇒ The First States That Will Go Down During a Civil Unrest. Do You Live in the Red Zone?
There are times to stand up for the truth, so choose your last stand wisely so that you can be sure whatever happens, your sacrifice at least makes a difference.
Participate in Activities That Could Escalate Tensions or Provoke Confrontation
During civil unrest, you must absolutely not participate in activities that could escalate tensions.
In fact, it is often suggested that when Jesus declared that you should turn the other cheek, he was not suggesting that you turn yourself into your enemy’s punching bag, but that you always de-escalate tension by backing off, if possible and appropriate. Let your pride take a hit if it can save the life of your friend or your life.
Draw Unnecessary Attention to Yourself by Flaunting Wealth or Privilege
During civil unrest, you must not do so. By this, I mean that you must not stand out. Snipers are trained to spot instigators and shoot them first.
On the other hand, you could find yourself identified as the enemy by an angry mob if you flaunt wealth, privilege, social or educational class, or anything like that.
Your conduct identifies you as a potential target or causes someone to look right over you. You should try to look like the perfect “non-target” by seeming non-threatening, non-affiliated, and uninteresting.
Venture Into Conflict Zones or Areas With a High Risk of Violence Without a Clear Exit Plan
During civil unrest, you must not venture into the front lines where authorities and protesters clash. A stray bullet could end your life. A stampeding crowd could crush you to death.
Related: These Self-Defense Items Will Vanish First in a Crisis
You could end up having to defend yourself and inadvertently injure an attacker, after which you could spend months in court trying to save your reputation and stay out of jail. Frontlines should be for combatants only.
Unless you have a bone to pick with the riot police, find a quiet alley and crawl under a box.
Spread Rumors or Misinformation That Could Incite Panic or Further Escalate the Situation
Spreading rumors or disinformation is never good. What holds true for times of peace holds double true for times of turmoil. The truth, no matter how uncomfortable, will at least result in responses proportional to the threat.
Disinformation, rumors, hype, and falsehood can lead to disproportionate reactions. You could inadvertently cause panic or foster a sense of complacency when individuals should actually be hyper-alert.
Anonymity and Neutrality
In times of civil unrest, you must eliminate any identifying documents, electronic devices, clothing, jewelry, or even a haircut that could be used to identify or categorize you.
A laptop or expensive smartphone could quickly identify you as rich or educated, as could a tweed jacket, chino, and white button-up shirt.
In the chaos of widespread civil unrest, cities can turn into war zones fast. When things get too hot, heading for the hills might be your only shot at staying safe. But surviving out there isn’t just about knowing the basics—it’s about mastering the long game.
That’s why I rely on this guide. It’s not your run-of-the-mill survival manual; it’s a no-nonsense tool that teaches you the old-school wisdom of our ancestors who knew how to live off the land and thrived there.
So, when you’re gearing up to make your escape, make sure this handbook is in your backpack. It could be the game-changer you need when everything else goes sideways.
Remember that while many circumstances in life are beyond your control, most situations afford you at least a few choices. Choose wisely. Act to stay alive.
You may also like:
17 Items I Keep in My Fallout Shelter at All Times
The Only Thing You Should Do When the Biggest Civil Unrest of Our Time Hits Your Town (Video)
Grey man all the way.
I pack a spare set of sports clothes in the boot of the car. Handy if I am caught in a rain downpour on my way home, useful if the sudden urge to do a quick bushwalk hits and I’m in non bushwalking clothes, and already there if a sudden SHTF hits and I’m suddenly trying to disappear. Hoodie, sweat pants and cotton leggings, long / short sleeve tshirt, running shoes. Cheap stuff from the local department store.
If civil unrest, a shopping centre knife stabbing, or unexpected public protest pops up… get the hell away from it. You don’t know who is going for who, and what they are looking for. The Bondi shopping centre stabber was targeting women. ANY women. By the time people figured this out the guy had already been shot dead by the cops… but it’s a lesson. In an emergency get away fast. Sort out later what the motives were, whether you agree with it or think it’s rubbish, take sides AFTER. During? Hide. In sweats and a hoodie. Or in a back store room.
To the weak minded preppers of public school indoctrination education, WAKE UP!
Politics and prepping go together as we have seen over the years of posting. So get over your complaining.
In California a relative has said the bicycle mafia is reducing gas powered road access for travel and parking. The cities are placing bike lanes on both sides of the street, some places homeowners can’t parked on the street because of the bike lanes.
Is gov Newsom trying make California compliant to his boss Xi’s plans to transform the golden state into a Chinese asset for China?
Glad I don’t live in California, it’s bad enough to have the homeless drug and mentally ill pooping on the sidewalk tent cities.
The reference to Bushwick is spot on. Home grown bad guys, no one is ready. Locals have weapons unaccounted for. The shock value is what “they” are counting on. It’s hard to imagine this for real but, not imagining is not good. Right now where you are or on the way to.. at someone elses home.. sitting with your kids/grandkids.. power goes out. Helicopters start flying in. Dozens. Uniformed and fully equipped former illegals begin the dance. What do you have? How can you get to your stash?
This scenario is covered in the movie Bushwick. It’s not zombies. It’s us. Sad days to have to think like this but it could get all BLM in your hood too.
Practice your plan that you have. Practice first aid. Practice fire building… After it hits the fan is well, watch Bushwick..
Then what if you hide in a back store room?
Does it have a bathroom toilet, hidden food for the wait?
Not a good plan, what do other preppers think, not feel, you would do?
Screw the CCW, those mark you as a gun owner, fingerprinted an registered gun, ripe for a political judge to throw the law book at us for jail time. The criminals go free to rape, loot and burn things.
We can’t play by the rules anymore as the Islamist don’t with the alphabet agencies blessings to destroy America as we know it to exist.
In a situation like this, everywhere is a bathroom.
Sometimes a “hoodie” would be the wrong thing to be wearing. Work clothes, including a stout pair of boots that you can run in, would be better. There are stores in our area that already have signs saying “No hoodies or backpacks allowed in store,” due to all the stealing and shoplifting.
Well law Enforment isn’t your friend and they will be the boot on your neck
Recent news story the cops hit the wrong apartment address. A military vet got his gun to defend what he thought was an intruder. The cops saw the vet had a gun to defend himself a shot him several times.
What will we do if the cops, law enforcement break down the front door early morning?
We Americans have the right by the Constitution, Bill of Rights to defend ourselves regardless of the lunatic left who think America should be a total dun free zone. Gun free zones are the reason why progressive lefty’s do mass shootings in public. The liberal lawmakers use gun free zones as the foundation to their antigun rhetoric nonsense.
America’s First and Second Amendments are under unduly crushing noise from the U.N., leftist, Islamist and other foriegn influences like social media.
Will American’s finally get the president they really voted for in this next election or a puppet fraud of Marxist Obama running the show currently?
Hammed – US veteran
Negative thumbs down are from the liberals who know not any better.
The left hates American veterans who stand for freedom.
It is obvious how the liberals do disservice to America’s homeless veterans who helped build and secured America from it’s enemies.
The left treats veterans as animals, lets the illegals get free housing, food, schools for their brats who can’t speak English. The left gives hope and comfort to the lawbreakers; the illegals; than takes care of the vets.
Shame on all of you liberal progressive tramps residing in America. You indoctrinated fools who hate America, go to those countries you profess allegiance to those religious goons, see how long you last there. You will be chopped into pieces, beheaded as infidels regardless.
Biden helps fund Iranian thugs to destroy Israel by with holding badly needed ammunition to fight off the proxy Hamas troops who mascaraed the Israelis on October 7th.
When and where was any lefty progressive doing a public mass shooting? Not in the United States, buddy. America’s mass shooters have Twitters and Facebooks and whatnot all extolling the virtues of various rightwing ideologies, while hating on leftwing ideologies.
I just don’t understand how people can be so dishonest about this when ANYONE can google what I’m saying for themselves to find that it’s true.
We need to be careful about painting agencies with broad brush strokes. You do need to know your local sheriff and whether that sheriff is a friend or not. Many local city and county sheriffs have provided written statements that their area is a sanctuary for the 2nd amendment. They truly are our friends, neighbors and relatives. Our local enforcement was at a school incident in under 3 minutes, no Uvalde or Florida incident of perimeters there. If you live in an area where the local blue is just there to protect local mayors and not the citizens, I’m thinking Chicago, then you need to move if you can or become gray man to them too.
I live in Tennessee and our local Sheriff is nothing but a puppet to the Governor and Mayor, if they say jump, his response is how high. He is elected, however he is backed by the power politicians and big money, one of the good old boys, definitely not a constitutional Sheriff!
We will need to do all of the above said in the article and be a lone wolf in that situation as these indoctrinated woke snowflakes will be whining all the way.
Today’s population is weak and better hope they become what was once the greatest generation of America to right this ship back on course.
Posted article like these comments is why we need to be current on politics as political matters direct what prepping is all about in the 21st century of woke.
We got the open border Islamist causing death and destruction in America. These Islamist hide in places like Dearborn Michigan and large cities to do their dirty work. They want to make America look like their hell whole cities of death and terror they left for greener pastures of Bidenomics America.
Yes too many preppers have this idea the old west pioneers are the backbone of current prepping. Well not so, even back then these pioneers had to face political issues as they traveled the open big sky westward travels. We can learn some pioneer lessons that can be used in this century. We have the open border, illegals, covid bioweapons plandemic, Islamic terrorism on American soil to content with.
Our modern life to SHTF has been pre-planned by the elites, which can temporary avoid short term by preps.
It will take more than preps to survive America’s outcome.
Pray to God for our salvation from evil Bidenomics.
The only thing I get out of this article is, “The enemy has already won if We are to bow to the enemy at every turn!”
That certainly doesn’t sound very American to me!
We got more indoctrinated lunatic liberals in America than commonsense conservatives as we see America slipping into hell.
The radical progressive left has done tremendous damage to our voting system. Ballot dumping of votes by Chicago mayor Daily in the mid 20th century to sway the election outcome.
Then the Florida CHAD paper ballot scam. To the electronic voting machines that were hacked to change the last presidential election and mail in ballots scam.
Covid was a great voting scheme to flood fake voting ballots and many election crews were made up of Demoncrats who helped their Marxist candidate win.
What is the next scam for the Marxist to win?
We have illegals voting in all sorts of elections throwing off the legal voters votes.
The progressive left deny illegals are voting in our elections, how do we stop this?
Build the border wall, deport, deport and drill for oil to strengthen our economy again.
The progressive hate the truth told of America.
They are truly are hateful of us as the Islamist riot on hallowed grounds of American soil who are running through the open southern border.
Isn’t it interesting we have many disbelievers of America?
We must look into our God given America for strength, freedom, bravery, to do the right thing. In the face of godless fornication of evil seeping through America. The enemy has awaken from it’s sleeper cell status to unite with the enemy combatants flooding our America.
Which side will you be on?
I’ll be on the stock side of the rifle so the barrel will be pointed at the enemy.
Cliff Notes Edition: TURN AROUND AND WALK AWAY…!!!!
If you happen to find yourself, caught up in something, remotely similar. Seek training, because your Situational Awareness SUCKS.
(ps-above: tongue-in cheek…1/2 humor 1/2 comment) 🙂
In other words don’t act like a dumb mass democrat.
Ya …you should know better than to walk into a civil unrest situation……unless your law enforcement …..
This is another article of ways to protect yourself or prepare yourself for when the SHTF. One major failure with all of these plans they are all to short in time. Yes they will work for day 1 to maybe day 7 but what after that. Say day 30 or even out to day 365. An item that must be taken into consideration and with alternatives built in is where will you go, how will you get there and what will it be like one month after SHTF. What now is peacefully farm country with not one person in sight may have been chosen by 1,000 persons to be their ultimate safe place. Remember according to the problem and how long it will last determines a lot of how you decide..If it is long term like complete loss of electricity you will have 330,000,000 people wandering looking to survive in America alone. All will be leaving their homes as food runs out and will be on the road somewhere. Group gathering of like minded people prepared to protect the group is the only chance for survival. THINK
This is a darn good article ! I was a cop long ago, during the riots of the late 1960’s hit Los Angles, California. I was in 3 of them, and let me tell you, it can be scary as Hell in how people can change, and revert into another person that lives suppressed in some dark corner of their mind, that THEY may not know even exists. The transformation can be ignited in a fraction of a second. In some cases you can actually see the change spread like happens when a flock of birds are disturbed, or cattle panic.
It may seem that riots would be an exciting thing to go to, but generally you will find that only 65 % of the people there are actually protesting against the reason for the protest. The rest are there for the excitement, and to vent themselves in destroying someone else’s
property without any repercussions to themselves. And if the demonstration is peaceful, they often try and liven it up to serve their agenda for coming to the event.
The Media loves demonstrations. The more destruction, the better it is in filling their viewer draw, and filling their air time. They should only be able to Air their stories, after the event is over. Not while it is taking place, and actually advertising the event for their benefit. .
Personally, one of the best aspects of this article is, “There are times to stand up for the truth, so choose your last stand wisely so that you can be sure whatever happens, your sacrifice at least makes a difference.”
I believe in free speech. But if you do decide to express those feelings at a protest, you might consider doing so only under the advise of the above quote. In short, you may not survive uninjured, or worse. But weigh the risks with thought first. Not a knee jerk reaction you’ll likely regret later.
I might add that as an X cop, that the shooting policy today by the some of the police agencies would have got you serious jail time in my day. And I am not against the police using lethal force. However, it seems that in some cases, the bullet hole counts in some of the victims seems to be some kind award getting item. This needs some serious review, and it seems not to be getting it.
As a civilian I can’t shoot someone in defense of my life without very likely jeopardizing being charged with murder or manslaughter to please the anti gun types. Yet if I used a club to defend myself, it probably wouldn’t make the news.
Hi Cliff , thanks for your service…..my grandson is partaking in a 12th grade ritual in my part of the country called Senior Assassin…..look it up …I am about 69 years old. I only heard about it a few weeks ago….Trouble with me is that he and his mother live in my house . I have a c.c. permit….since the 2nd term of the Obama administration.They were not going to tell about this game……but god willing i did….i would like to find the person who started the whole thing and say W.T.F Manerd !!!!!!! I guess I’ll find a big stick somewhere and practice my accidental eye removal techniques….L.O.L. Rick
The Border issue is pretty simple and basic. As long as we have a Dem President – we will likely have an Open Border. It is an important part of the Long-Term Dem Election Plan. More Border Crossers = More Dem Votes.
Hey? Thin blue is a lie??
It sounds like some bad behavior in your past resulted in
good old fashion ass whipping from the cops.Dope maybe?
Your eyes must brown cause you are so full of shit!!!
Just like the Jack off that runs this site for not moderating
comments from ass wipes like you.
Hi Chuck ….Patients…..Let them expose themselves…..liberals will eat themselves….so I’ve been told . Peace , Rick
All the cops i encountered when i was a kid …..would just ask me if it was any good…..
It’s the drug dealers ……that are a**holes .
Walgreens, CVS all buddies to Big Pharma. Notice how 40 years ago they were all called drug stores. And just say no ended once the feds could tax them at the local pharmacy.
What is this blue gray crap ? You think we can survive another civil war ? Your nuts ..
I happen to be stuck in CA. Bicycling is not the tete noir you make it out to be. I would much rather have a peal bicycle than a Tesla in the EOTW situation. A conditioned rider, not a category III rider, just your run of the mill regular rider can easily do 60 miles a day on a bicycle carrying panniers and pulling a trailer. The NVA regularly used bicycles to haul 200kg down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. I readily ackowdege that was not your weekend rider carbon fiber 15 pound wonder bike. It was a carbon steel bike with additional reinforcing and a special steering assist attachment. They still managed to pack 440 pounds 1200 to 1600 miles down dirt trails into South Vietnam. So bitch about bikes all your want, they are the most efficient way to move a load ever invented.
i think moderating is a tool of the communist party….you can call me a perverted troll if you want…..but it’s nice to have a site where you can vent….it’s alot cheaper than a shrink…and smarter…..let’s debate…..survival is a way of life….just to be on topic.And I am thankful its here….for a while. And thanks for the comments too.
Don’t fight the ones they send … hunt those that sent them.