What Should You Do If Protestors Surround Your Car?
Street protests are all too common these days and blocking traffic has become one of the favorite methods of public protest. If you, as a motorist, round a corner and find yourself in the middle of a protest march, or if protestors suddenly surround your car, you need to take action quickly.
Dave Young, founder and director of Arma Training, stresses that immediate action is important, but such action requires forethought and a thorough understanding of the laws of self-defense in your state.
“Most state’s self-defense laws allow you to use reasonable force to defend yourself and your family, but you may not use deadly force unless you are facing an imminent threat of death or great bodily harm,” Young said. “Some prosecutors could see using your car to drive away from a protest as using force, even deadly force. So the first thing you must do is assess the threat level.”
If the protestors are merely blocking your way, you may be able to use a reasonable level of force to get out of the situation, but you must remember that someone who was not at the scene will evaluate your decisions.
In Wisconsin, the use of force is outlined in state statute 939.48, which reads:
(1) A person is privileged to threaten or intentionally use force against another for the purpose of preventing or terminating what the person reasonably believes to be an unlawful interference with his or her person by such other person. The actor may intentionally use only such force or threat thereof as the actor reasonably believes is necessary to prevent or terminate the interference. The actor may not intentionally use force which is intended or likely to cause death or great bodily harm unless the actor reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself.
- Call 911
- Capture the Images
- Keep Moving If You Can
- If Things Turn Violent
- If Your Car Is Stopped, Stalled, or Disabled
Your Cell Phone’s On-Switch Is How You Consent to Being Monitored
“No Reasonable Expectation of Privacy”
File Under: Persistent Surveillance
In court papers filed this month, Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh made the case that by simply having your cell phone powered-on, you are giving your consent to be monitored by law enforcement.
The case stems from Kerron Andrews and his cell phone, which was targeted by a law enforcement cell site simulator. These simulators, including Stingrays and DRT Boxes, trick cell phones into sending and receiving signals to and from these fake cell towers. Kerron, who faces charges of attempted murder, was tracked by law enforcement to his home because he continued to carry his cell phone which was powered on.
The Maryland AG explains why they were able to track Kerron:
Because Andrews chose to keep his cell phone on, he was voluntarily sharing the location of his cell phone with third parties.
Andrews… was quite aware that he was bringing his own cell phone into the house. And he was quite capable of turning it off.
And adding insult to injury, the Maryland AG also had this advice for criminals:
A life “on the lam” may require some inconveniences, such as not staying in one’s home, and turning one’s cell phone off when not in use.
The prevalence of cell site simulators is increasing. They’re currently in use by local, state and federal agencies in at least 23 states. Here’s an ACLU map showing current disposition.
Article from the Forward Observer site, Samuel Culper
Self-Reliance Group 