Rioting In The Streets Of Vancouver

“VANCOUVER – Angry Canucks fans went on a rampage, smashing windows, looting and torching cars and dumpsters on the streets of downtown Vancouver last night. More than three hours after the Stanley Cup final loss, police are moving up Howe St. toward the crowd massed at the Chapters book store on Howe and Robson.” begins a story by Mike Hager of the Vancouver Sun in the 16 June edition of the paper.

Photo courtesy of the Vancouver Sun.

A Reality Check

Think about that for a moment. Rioting in the streets. Cars torched. Windows smashed. Stores looted. All because a hockey team lost a game. Sure it was the championship game, but still, it’s a game.

And it’s not limited to hockey fans or Canadians either. We’ve seen the same behavior from other sports fans in other areas of the world. From Los Angeles to London, from Boston to Barcelona, sports fans riot after winning or losing a championship game.

It seems that people are actively looking for an excuse to get out of hand, to be destructive, to cause damage without regard to who or what gets in the way.

When crowds realize that the authorities are overwhelmed, when they realize that they can act selfishly, destructively, even brutally with impunity, they seize the opportunity and riot. Cars are torched, stores are looted, and mob mentality prevails.

What If It Hits The Fan?

How will the masses respond when something really bad happens? What will they do when a natural disaster causes food and energy shortages for weeks on end?

What’s going to happen when the currency collapses and it literally takes a wheel barrel of money to buy a loaf of bread?

If you think everyone will be civilized, will line up to receive handouts from the local authorities, and will patiently wait until normalcy is restored, you will likely be woefully mistaken. I hope you are right. But I’m not counting on it.

So, What Can You Do?

Recognizing that a potential problem exists and preparing for it ahead of time is what preppers do. So how can you plan for such an event?

• Be Prepared. As with any potential emergency or disaster, be prepared. Make sure you have ample food, water, and supplies beforehand. For rioting in the streets, another consideration is to make sure you are adequately covered by insurance. If your car is set afire, it’s nice to know that you won’t have to pay for it completely out of pocket.
• Be Aware. Situational awareness is imperative for personal safety. Learn to anticipate when bad things may happen. Is a controversial court decision due to be released soon? Are the weather forecasters predicting that hurricane will strike your home town in the next few days? Pay attention to the news and consider how it may affect you.
• Be Away. If you don’t have to be nearby when the expected calamity hits, don’t be. Take a day off work so you’re not downtown when the court decision is announced. Leave town before the mandatory evacuation order is given for the approaching hurricane. If you’re wrong, so what? If you’re right, you’ll be glad you made the choice that you did.
• Be Strong. Don’t live in fear. Don’t worry about things you cannot control. Be prepared and have the confidence that being prepared provides.

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