Riots and protests are a common occurrence in today’s world and can literally happen anywhere and at anytime. Luckily there are a few things that you can do to be better prepared should you find yourself in a riot or have a riot in your neighborhood! Here are a few tips to better help you stay safe during protests, riots, and civil unrest. 

1. Know Your Location Well

If you are traveling, know where you are and where you are going. You do not want to get lost in an area, especially when there is civil unrest. Even if you are not traveling, you should know every street, every alley, and every dead-end road in your part of town. You can even do this in your spare time by walking around (preferably during the day) and pay attention to all of the street names and crossroads, as well as all possible routes to get back to your own home. Not only will this help you get to know your area and your neighborhood better, but it will also even help you to get into better physical shape! Staying safe also has a lot to do with physical fitness and being able to escape quicker. 

2. Try and Blend In

If you look out of place, then staying safe during a riot is going to be much more difficult. When things go south and you find yourself in a potentially dangerous situation, you should try and change your appearance if you have anything that might make you stand out and be a target. Protesters are many times from lower classes and will hate people who appear to be white-collar and financially successful people, so remove any accessories such as watches, ties, or rings, and ditch any fancy shirts, coats, or blazers. Put on a t-shirt if possible, and try to blend in with the people around you as best as possible. 

3. Get Away From the Rioting

If you find yourself in the middle of a riot, your number one priority should be to get away as quickly as possible. To do this, try and act the same as the rioters and move in the same direction and at the same place while looking for a way out. Whatever you do, try and put as much space between you and the rioters as you can. Even when you are away from the violence, you still might not be safe. Never let your guard down until you are completely safe either at home or at a secure location. Remember that even when a peaceful protest is going on, people will always gather to see what is going on and if violence does start, you do not want to be in the middle of it. 

4. Protect and Arm Yourself

Depending on your state, county, and city laws, you may be able to purchase, carry, or own firearms. If it is possible, carry a concealed firearm on your person so that, in a worst-case scenario, you have to protect yourself. If you do carry a firearm, do your best to get a concealed carry license as you do not want to have a weapon in plain view, especially during civil unrest. Your best bet is to get a comfortable concealed carry holster to carry your firearm on you at all times. A great option for this is something like the Dragon Belly Holster that is very versatile and can adapt to many different carry positions and body types. You can find these at Dragon Belly Holster.

Having a weapon on you is the perfect way to stay safe if you find yourself in the middle of a dangerous situation. Of course, not every place will allow you to carry a gun on you. Plus you might happen to live in the middle of a dangerous riot or protest location, and need to protect your home. In that case, having a firearm in your home is still very important. The last thing that you would want is for someone to break into your home and not have some way of defending yourself. If at all possible, get yourself a gun for in the home. Try and get ahold of a simple pistol or handgun in order to be able to protect yourself while in your home, especially at night when you might be sleeping. You could keep it in something like the Morpheus Bedside holster. This will keep it organized and within reach of you when sleeping to allow you to have quick access to your self-defense weapon. You can pick one up for yourself at here. 

5. Stay Calm and Think

Your biggest asset when coming up against potential violence due to riots or protests is your brain. Try to remain as calm as possible when you come face to face with situations like these, and you will find that you are able to make much better decisions. While this is much easier said than done, take a few seconds to take deep breaths when you find yourself starting to stress or panic, and you will be amazed at how much clearer you can think and respond when you try and remind yourself to stay calm. No one wants to ever be in many of these dangerous situations, but if you take the time to prepare, even just a little bit, you will be much better off if you should ever find yourself in the middle of a riot or dangerous situation that seem to frequent the world that we live in today!