Preppers and Civil rights protestors
© NR2013
In recent weeks I have seen multiple news articles, interviews, reports etc from various civil rights protest activists from as far as Moscow to Ankara, and found some interesting attitudes towards surviving on the street during a protest event.
1 Many activist groups are now well organized via social media and use cellphones as expedient street communications via stuff like Twitter and Facebook to report on police tactics and movements, where to move to, where the authorities are weakest etc. It gives the protestors that tactical edge over the authorities because the police have to basically stay in place to protect government buildings where as the protestors can move and react like light infantry.
2 PMR radios are frequently seen in the hands of student activists whose role is supposed to be marshaling but in reality they are often directing the troops.
3 It is almost inevitable as protests across the globe increase in frequency, size and severity that at some point the affected states will react by turning off or jamming the cell system and broadband networks in affected areas as China has been known to do. The protesters really need to adapt to preserve their communications by perhaps investing in more PMR radios with greater range and encryption or buy the newer 12 watt SSB CB radios.
4 It is noted that police once tended to deal with uncontrolled protests with often only ONE method of crowd control / dispersal, often water cannons. But recently it is becoming apparent the police are willing to use multiple control techniques such as Kettling, Rubber Bullets, Baton rounds, Irritant gas, water cannon, mounted charges, snatch squads etc This requires democracy activists etc to evolve their own tactics when possible.
5 The protesters are learning to scatter rather than confront the rigid formations of police and use their social media devices to direct them where best to regroup and seek out weak spots in the authorities defences before trying again. The police usually outnumbered can be worn down and exhausted by a skillful campaign of movement by activists.(Mobility is the soul of protesters, preppers and light infantry)
6 The protestors are not only developing practical but simple tactics but are becoming quite skilled at developing their own improvised equipment and clothing to help them survive on the streets.
7 One can now see protestors wearing improvised head protection such as cycling helmets, rock climbing helmets, paint ball helmets, face shields and visors, cyclists anti-pollution masks, civilian respirators, swimming goggles, safety goggles, motorcycling goggles, motorcycle helmets etc. Polarised sun glasses are amazingly popular for seeing through glare often created by searchlights reflecting off all the glass found in city centers which can disorientate protesters.
8 You can see some thought going into the choice of clothing many activists now use, padded jackets, leather jackets, urban camouflage jackets, shemaghs, bandanas, cycling gloves, motorcycle gloves, site gloves, boots with non-slip soles etc. High neck rolled over collars to protect the throat etc.
9 You can frequently see protestors carrying multiple sig type water bottles not only for drinking but to flush tear gas and other irritants sprayed or fired by the authorities, some use citrus juice like diluted lemon juice as they claim ( absolutely unconfirmed) it neutralizes CS gas etc. They also wet face masks, bandanas, scarfs etc to reduce the effect of riot gases but many people now appear to be moving towards purposed designed respirators and filter masks (Expect the authorities to ban the sale of them as well at some point)
10 Many activists like preppers carry rucksacks and day bags with essential supplies in such as water, food, maps of the area, colleagues contact details, tools , spray paint, flashlights, flares, light sticks, extra clothing, comms gear in a similar process of selection as preppers and survivalists use for their EDC bags.
11 One interesting adaptation I have noted is the way some backpack wearing protestors have modified their rucksacks. They appear to take pieces of 25 mm or 50 mm insulation board or sheets of upholstery foam, often wrapped in duct tape and fastened/ taped/ cable tied to the bottom of their rucksacks . It’s designed to hang loose off the bottom of their bags like a shield to protect their kidneys, buttocks and thighs from the worst effect of baton rounds and rubber bullets. When faced with police firing volleys of baton rounds the activists turn away and squat down thus their rucksacks and foam shields offer them a decent level of protection from the baton rounds. However if the police then fire water cannon at the same people they get knocked flat by the force of the water.
12 Recent media images are showing Turkish protesters using modified fruit drink cordial bottles as improvised face protection and a few folks have been seen with much of their heads wrapped in cling-film!!! It is clear the subjugated peoples of the modern world are rapidly learning to adapt and evolve in order to fight the threats from totalitarian regimes.
My policy as a prepper when face with acts of protest or civil disobedience is to bugger off the opposite direction, I have no desire to be a casualty, convict or statistic. But I do think we should keep a close eye on the protest lobbies tactics, kit choice and how they adapt.
Some interesting images of clothing and equipment being used by anti government protestors in Turkey last night.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...nrest.html
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