Well, it has been a crazy couple of years. With everything that has happened, seeing riots on the news is pretty normal these days. Between social unrest, economic collapse, and unruly governments there is a potential for riots somewhere around the world just about every day. This also means that there is the potential for martial law to be implemented to control these riots. The danger with martial law is that it could mean the rights of citizens being waived, curfews being enforced, and potentially the mass roundup of citizens.
The riots themselves are a big enough concern. We have seen all of the vandalism, violence, structure fires, and looting caused by riots. Unfortunately, the police sometimes make the situation worse than it already is. Then, when the government steps in people really start to worry, as well they should. In this article, we will cover how to help you stay safe during riots or martial law.
Avoiding Riots
By far the best option you have to avoid the chaos of riots is to avoid situations in which riots are more likely to occur. If you pay attention to your surroundings and your community, you can often predict when and where these riots will happen. Riots typically do not start as riots. They start as peaceful demonstrations. Unfortunately, people often take advantage of this situation and stir things up until someone becomes violent.
I am all about speaking out for a good cause, but there is risk involved if you speak out in person. If you want to be as safe as possible, I suggest avoiding large crowds including peaceful protests. Protests often occur at government buildings or landmarks in a downtown area, so try to avoid these areas if you know there have been protests lately. I personally live out in the country and avoid going into town at all if there has been any significant violence.
Planning a Route
If you happen to be forced to be in an area where a riot breaks out, you need to take action immediately to get to safety. This is one of the most dangerous scenarios you can face because both the rioters and the police/military could potentially do you harm. Start by staying calm. Panicking is the absolute worst mistake you can make in a situation like this. Take a few deep breaths and think about your next moves.
You and anyone you are with will want to work your way across the affected area to the closest safe zone you can find. This means you must think about where you are in relation to the affected area. Heading to a vehicle is not always the safest bet. If your options are to hike 10 blocks through a crowd to get to your car or turn around and leave the affected area in two blocks you should always turn around. You can come back and get your car when things have settled down. No possession is worth your safety or the safety of your loved ones.
Moving to Safety
Once you have decided on a route to take to safety, have a quick meeting with anyone in your group. You want everyone to blend in as much as possible. In survival, we call this becoming the “gray man”. Everyone needs to keep their heads down and take a steady pace down the planned route. You should all avoid eye contact with other people, and do not speak to anyone unless you have no other choice. Make no sudden movements, and never get out a weapon unless your life is in immediate danger.
In order to blend in, you may have to simulate chants or movements that the crowd is performing. Just do what is needed to blend in until you are safe. Never move directly against a crowd. Instead, keep your arms locked and move laterally from the direction of the crowd to get to safety. This may cause a detour, but it is safer than fighting the crowd. Always avoid confrontation and keep moving.
If you happen to be in a building when a riot starts outside, stay back from doors and windows. Find an interior room and hang out until things settle down. If you think your location may be targeted by looters, see if there is a back way out. If you are in a car, stay in the car. The vehicle will still give you some level of protection. Try to keep moving your vehicle towards safety, but park it if you have no choice. Always avoid driving towards or speaking to police or military if you can avoid it. If you approach them, they may see you as a threat.
You also want to be ready for unexpected situations in riots. If you happen to trip and fall while moving through a crowd, quickly ball up. You need to protect your head and vital organs as often people are trampled by crowds during riots. Don’t try to get back up until you see a clear break in the traffic. If you come to a narrow space with cover nearby, you may want to avoid this spot. These bottlenecks are often where people get hurt.
Your goal should be to eventually get to a secure building outside of the affected area. However, any building can become dangerous if you can no longer keep it secure. If you shelter in a building, be ready to bail out at a moment’s notice if things get worse. Always have a backup plan for this scenario.
Martial Law
When martial law is implemented, this generally justifies the government calling in the National Guard to help with situations that the locals cannot handle. We see this all the time with natural disasters. Sometimes martial law is just a way to get food and water to people that have been displaced. Other times it is a way to control a population that is out of control. We saw a good deal of this during Hurricane Katrina as the National Guard tried to control looting and rescue survivors. We also have seen dozens of cases of this during the riots of 2020 and 2021.
When huge chunks of major cities like Los Angeles and Minneapolis are destroyed due to riots, this is when martial law gets extreme. It often starts with curfews to try and control the rioting. Often the majority of the violence and property damage happens after dark, so the government tries to keep the streets empty at night. Generally, this is enforced in urban areas where riots are occurring. However, just last year we saw instances of the national guard rolling through residential suburban neighborhoods fully armed and demanding that people get inside their homes.
Of course, anyone in a riot can be arrested for just about any reason. They may not press charges in the end, but you might spend a few nights in jail until they sort everything out. The real risk is the power that the government has if things keep getting worse. If curfews and patrols do not stop the riots, they have every right to start rounding up citizens house by house and detaining them. We saw this with Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor. Of course, this had nothing to do with riots at the time.
It might seem insane, but it has happened plenty of times in world history and even in US history. The most obvious example of this was the Holocaust. In that particular example, the government started controlling the population by first disarming citizens. By taking their firearms, it made martial law that much easier. The fact is that the US has dozens of facilities around the country specifically built for purposes like these. They may have never been used, but they are still there.
Reevaluate Who You Trust
The key to avoiding the danger of martial law is to keep your distance. The government will rely on you to come running for food, water, shelter, safety, or financial support. Try to avoid relying upon these resources if at all possible. If you have prepared properly, you should have plenty of supplies to get you through. You should avoid any situation that could give a member of the National Guard the chance to ask for identification.
You also need to be careful about how other people will act around you. When people get desperate, they can do some crazy things. I try to keep to myself what kind of supplies I have as I know many of my neighbors are not prepared and would be tempted to come to us. You must emphasize to your family that lots of people you know and would normally trust can no longer be trusted. You cannot trust the banks either. I suggest you keep a decent amount of cash in a safe place for situations like this. There was quite some time last year when my bank was closed, and I had no access to my accounts.
Typically, riots and martial law are a very temporary problem. In most cases, the worse of it only lasts a week or two at most. However, as survivalists and preppers we do not prepare for the norm. We prepare for the worst-case scenario and hope for the best. Whether you face getting to safety in a violent crowd or the National Guard knocking on your door, you should be sure your family is ready. Now would be a good time to talk with them and be sure they know what to expect as we face these scenarios in the future.