Self defense against violent mob?

Question is the title of this post: How would you defend yourself against a violent mob?

My own thinking boils down to 3 broad philosophies.

1. Avoid being put into a you vs mob situation
2. To heck with the consequences, do whatever you have to do
3. Run

Number 1 is easy to explain: just avoid going to rallies or other emotionally charged events where such mobs are the most likely to form. The downside to this is that you can't always predict when a mob will form, so it isn't a perfect solution.

Number 2 is also easy to explain. In the face of overwhelming odds, forget about innocent bystanders for the moment. For instance, if your car is surrounded and the mob is beating on the doors and windows and a window shatters, then don't worry about if the people immediately in front of the car are bystanders who are too close. Your life and the lives of those in your car are in immediate danger. Push the gas to the floor. The downside to this is that you could hurt someone not immediately involved in the assault and be sued or jailed later.

Number 3 isn't always an option. If a mob starts to form, retreat no matter what. No matter how you're armed or prepared, you can't "win" against a sufficiently large group that seeks to harm you. So run to the exclusion of all else. Of course the downside to this is that you can't always run. Sometimes no exit is available, and sometimes you're also responsible for your kids or others who can't escape.

I've given this problem a little bit of thought over the years, but considered the odds of me running into a violent mob low enough that it was all hypothetical. However, I believe the odds of encountering a violent mob have increased recently (I moved to a city, the current political climate, etc). It's not longer just pure theory crafting. I want some solid ideas and plans I can begin to implement.

Anyone else given this more thought than me? Or just have some ideas that I haven't thought of? Thanks.

Submitted July 01, 2019 at 01:29PM by DaMavster https://ift.tt/2XiKcdi