Every protest I've ever been to had a protocol

[Ohioboy]

Mind you I haven't been to a ton of protests, but the few I have been in had basic rules that were discussed prior to the action. For example, shortly after George Floyd was killed I went to a planned BLM protest in Michigan, just across the line from where I live. It was basically a 1 mile march along a heavily traveled roadway. There was a stated starting point where everyone gathered to hear the rules. Basically the rules were: don't block traffic, be non-violent, keep moving, wear masks, and stick to the route of the march. The march ended in a park where speeches were given. All of this was planned ahead of time.

If Trump's riot on January 6th was just a protest that got out of control, where was the protocol?

[Wicked Blue]

1. I believe it was Fight Like hell nt

Last edited Thu Feb 11, 2021, 06:25 PM - Edit history (1)

[lame54]

7. Trump sent us

[davsand]

2. Would you ever dream of storming a building?

I've been on more that a few protests and picket lines in all the years, and I'd never DREAM of busting out windows or kicking in doors to invade a place. I'm just not in that same head space that the insurgents were, but that whole scene just horrified me that the mob did the shit they did.

I agree, with you completely that most actions have a clearly planned course of action, and in fact, often have "monitors" or guides to prevent mob action from breaking out. CLEARLY the invaders had no controls or even any sort of sane heads present.


Laura

[Cirque du So-What]

5. I cannot imagine

following a dickhead who would urge such a thing.

[davsand]

8. Agreed! I can't imagine falling in with the crowd.

I can see trying to stop the stupidity, but once it was plain that they were "storming the castle" and not to be dissuaded, my sorry ass would have been out of there as fast as I could manage it. I've seen reports of any number of people that said they got swept up in it, or that they were acting in the heat of the moment, and I just can't get my head around it. When you are out of any sort of action--protest, picket line, rally--anything--you cannot allow yourself to just go with the flow. I can't fathom it. All I can think of is a bunch of lemmings running off a cliff. For sure, doing anything at the behest of that orange pendejo makes my skin crawl.

A lot of these people that were in the crowd photos were not exacly kids, either. They knew better. They HAD to.

SMH.


Laura

[Phoenix61]

3. Same here. The starting point was clearly communicated

The rules were also clear. End point etc.

[Karadeniz]

4. The protocol by the organizers who applied for the permit was that a rally would be held at the

Ellipse. Open and shut. When they heard that a march on the Capitol was being floated, they called the WH to say that couldn't happen. When Trump then called for a march to the Capitol and said he'd be with them, that was illegal.

Rats! My bookmark system is stupid... No comments, please. The information about the violation of the permit was in an article link I just read and now I can't find it!!!!

[Hortensis]

6. And no rigid supports for signs. My impression for the past umteen years

has been that if you could hit someone with it and elicit more than a surprised look, use it to poke a hole in someone, or set off a metal detector, it's not allowed. I had to rebuild my dusty old keepsakes long ago when handles from the wood pieces from roller blinds and even the dainty old metal clothes hangers that I then went to (so wonderfully mutipurpose-able!), perfect for foam board, were no longer allowed.

I'm out of it now but feel confident bear spray and baseball bats are not allowed.

[DBoon]

9. If I were at a rally and someone tried to storm a building

I would assume that person was a provocateur trying to get people arrested. I would stay as far as possible from them.