Civil unrest

Actions

• Leave the area calmly at the first sign of troubleEssential

  Crowds rarely turn violent without signs: bottles flying, aggressive chanting, police lines forming, people masking up. Treat any of these as your cue to go — walk, don't run, move with the flow rather than against it, and put several streets between you and the scene before stopping to check the news.

• Note two exits whenever you enter a public placeEssential

  Make it a habit in stations, squares, stadiums and shopping streets: on arrival, spot the way you came in plus one alternative, ideally in another direction. In a sudden surge most people push toward the entrance they know, so the second exit is often the quicker and safer one.

• Avoid known flashpoints and large gatherings on tense daysEssential

  On announced protest days, check local news and police announcements for routes and rally points before heading out, and plan around them. Government quarters, stadiums and central squares are typical flashpoints — a detour of a few streets usually keeps you clear entirely.

• Stay neutral — do not argue, take sides, or filmEssential

  Bystanders get hurt when they are mistaken for participants. Keep your expression calm, your voice down and your phone in your pocket — raising a camera draws attention from all sides. Walk purposefully away instead of lingering; no footage is worth being caught in a charge or a surge.

• Follow police and official instructions without delayEssential

  Cordons and dispersal orders often protect you from danger you cannot see yet, such as a crush building a street away. Comply promptly and calmly, keep your hands visible, and ask officers for a safe way out if you are unsure — arguing costs time and can mark you out as a participant.

• Agree on a family communication plan and meeting pointEssential

  Agree in advance who collects children, where you meet if a district is cordoned off, and a backup point farther out, plus one out-of-area contact everyone reports to. When networks are congested, send short texts instead of calling — they often get through when calls fail. Refresh the plan when routines change.

Supplies

• Keep a charged power bank for your phone

  During unrest your phone is your map, news feed and lifeline, and congested networks drain batteries faster. A pocketable 10,000 mAh bank (about 37 Wh) delivers roughly 1.5 full smartphone charges, since usable output is 60-70% of the label. Pick USB-C with Power Delivery and top it up every 3-6 months.

Skills

• Learn crowd-safety basics: keep your feet, move to the edge

  Crowd crush, not violence, is the biggest killer in dense gatherings. Practise at any concert or match: if pressed on several sides, drift diagonally with the flow to the edge, arms at chest height to guard your breathing space. If you fall, protect your head and get up fast — curl on your side if you cannot.

Know & check

• Save 112 and local numbers in your phoneEssential

  112 reaches emergency services free of charge anywhere in the EU, even with no call credit. Add your country's direct police number too — in Germany that is 110 — plus family and doctor, so you never search while stressed. On a 112 call, stay on the line until the operator ends it; save non-urgent calls for later.

• Turn on EU-Alert / cell broadcast on your phoneEssential

  Cell broadcast delivers official warnings to every compatible phone in a danger zone — no app, no registration, no personal data stored. Check the toggle: on iOS at the very bottom of the notification settings, on Android under safety and emergency. In Germany, reception needs Android 11 or iOS 16.1 or newer.

• Install your national warning app (e.g. NINA)

  An official app adds what cell broadcast cannot carry: maps of affected areas, behaviour advice and the all-clear. In Germany, NINA and KATWARN deliver official warnings; many EU countries run an equivalent. Subscribe to your home and work districts, and never rely on a single channel.

• Write key phone numbers down on paper

  Phones get lost, broken or run flat exactly when streets are chaotic, and few people know numbers by heart anymore. A wallet card listing family, your out-of-area contact and your doctor means any borrowed phone gets you connected. Give every household member a copy, children included.