Powder Keg Crowd: Difference between revisions

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* In John Barnes' ''[[One for The Morning Glory]]'', Prince Amadeus faces such a crowd and manages to persuade them that they had come to draw matters to his attention, and that he would deal with them.
* In John Barnes' ''[[One for The Morning Glory]]'', Prince Amadeus faces such a crowd and manages to persuade them that they had come to draw matters to his attention, and that he would deal with them.
* In [[Stephen King]]'s ''[[Wizard And Glass]]'', Roland recounts his backstory where he lost his [[One True Love]]. He lost her due to a [[Powder Keg Crowd]] whipped into a killing frenzy by Rhea of the Coos. Said crowd literally burned Roland's love alive.
* In [[Stephen King]]'s ''[[Wizard And Glass]]'', Roland recounts his backstory where he lost his [[One True Love]]. He lost her due to a [[Powder Keg Crowd]] whipped into a killing frenzy by Rhea of the Coos. Said crowd literally burned Roland's love alive.
* In [[Graham McNeill]]'s ''[[Warhammer 40000]] [[Ultramarines (Literature)|Ultramarines]]'' novel ''Nightbringer'', when a crowd is pressing in on the governor, a sergeant orders the Arbites to open fire, over his captain's orders, killing many, until the captain manages to override them. Later, a demonstration is deliberately fired on by [[False Flag Operation|men disguised as Arbites]], and the resulting riot kills thousands and spreads destruction about the city.
* In [[Graham McNeill]]'s ''[[Warhammer 40000]] [[Ultramarines (Literature)|Ultramarines]]'' novel ''Nightbringer'', when a crowd is pressing in on the governor, a sergeant orders the Arbites to open fire, over his captain's orders, killing many, until the captain manages to override them. Later, a demonstration is deliberately fired on by [[False-Flag Operation|men disguised as Arbites]], and the resulting riot kills thousands and spreads destruction about the city.
* In ''[[A Song of Ice and Fire|A Clash of Kings]]'', King Joffrey and the other Lannisters are riding through a resentful crowd of starving peasants on their way back to the castle. Someone throws dung at Joffrey. Furious, Joffrey orders [[The Brute|the Hound]] to cut his way through the crowd and retrieve the offender. This triggers a riot that spreads throughout the city.
* In ''[[A Song of Ice and Fire|A Clash of Kings]]'', King Joffrey and the other Lannisters are riding through a resentful crowd of starving peasants on their way back to the castle. Someone throws dung at Joffrey. Furious, Joffrey orders [[The Brute|the Hound]] to cut his way through the crowd and retrieve the offender. This triggers a riot that spreads throughout the city.
* In [[Dan Abnett]]'s ''[[Gaunts Ghosts]]'' novel ''Necropolis'', Vervunhive Commissars attempt to stop refugees from going into sealed off areas. When [[Obstructive Bureaucrat|throwing about "State of Emergency"]] doesn't work, they shoot several to scare them off. Not a good idea when the odds are six armed troopers facing several hundred unarmed refugees.
* In [[Dan Abnett]]'s ''[[Gaunts Ghosts]]'' novel ''Necropolis'', Vervunhive Commissars attempt to stop refugees from going into sealed off areas. When [[Obstructive Bureaucrat|throwing about "State of Emergency"]] doesn't work, they shoot several to scare them off. Not a good idea when the odds are six armed troopers facing several hundred unarmed refugees.
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== Video Games ==
== Video Games ==
* In the [[Game Boy Advance]] game ''[[Zone of the Enders]]: The Fist of Mars'', Nadia (under Bolozof's orders) infiltrates a street protest and fires on the police mechs stationed there as crowd control, giving Bolozof's Acemos unit [[False Flag Operation|an excuse to move in and attack]].
* In the [[Game Boy Advance]] game ''[[Zone of the Enders]]: The Fist of Mars'', Nadia (under Bolozof's orders) infiltrates a street protest and fires on the police mechs stationed there as crowd control, giving Bolozof's Acemos unit [[False-Flag Operation|an excuse to move in and attack]].
* ''[[Halo 3 ODST]]'' has a crowd trying to get on a subway train that the [[Dirty Cop|corrupt police commissioner]] has commandeered. His men are shooting anyone that gets too close, and when it seems like he's about to accomplish what he's been trying to do for the entire audio story (rape the girl that the story centers around) her companion manages to get the crowd riled up enough to overwhelm the cops and break onto the train, ripping the guy to shreds. Literally.
* ''[[Halo 3 ODST]]'' has a crowd trying to get on a subway train that the [[Dirty Cop|corrupt police commissioner]] has commandeered. His men are shooting anyone that gets too close, and when it seems like he's about to accomplish what he's been trying to do for the entire audio story (rape the girl that the story centers around) her companion manages to get the crowd riled up enough to overwhelm the cops and break onto the train, ripping the guy to shreds. Literally.
* In ''[[Suikoden V]]'', the Prince {{spoiler|finds out that Salum Barrows took advantage of one of these to steal the Dawn Rune}}
* In ''[[Suikoden V]]'', the Prince {{spoiler|finds out that Salum Barrows took advantage of one of these to steal the Dawn Rune}}
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* During 1848, there was a string of nationalist revolutions, revolutionary attempts and riots all across Europe. England avoided violence. Historians suggest this is because the English police weren't given firearms when they were sent to overlook protests.
* During 1848, there was a string of nationalist revolutions, revolutionary attempts and riots all across Europe. England avoided violence. Historians suggest this is because the English police weren't given firearms when they were sent to overlook protests.
* The 1863 New York City draft riots. People were annoyed at the draft (which allowed the wealthy to buy their way out) and the Emancipation Proclamation (many whites not thinking that abolitionism was a cause to die for, and many of the working class being pro-slavery). What was the spark? A fireman was drafted. Three days later, the riot ended. The total dead is still debated, with estimates ranging from 120 to 2,000.
* The 1863 New York City draft riots. People were annoyed at the draft (which allowed the wealthy to buy their way out) and the Emancipation Proclamation (many whites not thinking that abolitionism was a cause to die for, and many of the working class being pro-slavery). What was the spark? A fireman was drafted. Three days later, the riot ended. The total dead is still debated, with estimates ranging from 120 to 2,000.
* On a similar note, the two [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Spring Arab revolutions] in 2011 that fully succeeded--Egypt and Tunisia--were ones in which the regime fired upon and otherwise brutalized the protesters (who were almost entirely if not entirely peaceful). Not for nothing did one Egyptian journalist write an article titled "Thank you for shooting at us!" The three protest movements that kind of just fizzled out--Algeria, Morocco, and Jordan--were the ones where the police did not fire into the crowd; the Moroccan police were specifically given strict orders to give the protesters a wide berth and not to fire.
* On a similar note, the two [[wikipedia:Arab Spring|Arab revolutions]] in 2011 that fully succeeded--Egypt and Tunisia--were ones in which the regime fired upon and otherwise brutalized the protesters (who were almost entirely if not entirely peaceful). Not for nothing did one Egyptian journalist write an article titled "Thank you for shooting at us!" The three protest movements that kind of just fizzled out--Algeria, Morocco, and Jordan--were the ones where the police did not fire into the crowd; the Moroccan police were specifically given strict orders to give the protesters a wide berth and not to fire.
** Most analysts agree that the decision to fire on peaceful, unarmed civilians attracted sympathy for the protesters that would not otherwise have existed, which in turn led to increased turnout at the protests. This is borne out by the results in Libya, Yemen, and Syria, where the protest movement grew each time it was reported the police or army had fired upon civilians; this led Syria and Yemen into a state of vague turmoil, and led the Libyans to take up arms. The only way (it seems) for a strategy of brutal violence to work is if it is done whole-hog and very quickly; the Bahraini government managed to crush the protest movement, but only because hardliners did not hesitate to use the military to break up the sit-in at Pearl Roundabout and then [[Summon Bigger Fish|call in Saudi and Emirati troops]] to quell the uprising once and for all.
** Most analysts agree that the decision to fire on peaceful, unarmed civilians attracted sympathy for the protesters that would not otherwise have existed, which in turn led to increased turnout at the protests. This is borne out by the results in Libya, Yemen, and Syria, where the protest movement grew each time it was reported the police or army had fired upon civilians; this led Syria and Yemen into a state of vague turmoil, and led the Libyans to take up arms. The only way (it seems) for a strategy of brutal violence to work is if it is done whole-hog and very quickly; the Bahraini government managed to crush the protest movement, but only because hardliners did not hesitate to use the military to break up the sit-in at Pearl Roundabout and then [[Summon Bigger Fish|call in Saudi and Emirati troops]] to quell the uprising once and for all.
** Also, a government which won't fire on its citizens is a good candidate for genuine reform, while a regime which kills its own people kind of ''needs'' overthrowing.
** Also, a government which won't fire on its citizens is a good candidate for genuine reform, while a regime which kills its own people kind of ''needs'' overthrowing.
** Though this was, notoriously, inverted by the Tiananmen Square protests in China; twenty years later, there has still been no reform worth speaking of, let alone anything ''like'' overthrow.
** Though this was, notoriously, inverted by the Tiananmen Square protests in China; twenty years later, there has still been no reform worth speaking of, let alone anything ''like'' overthrow.
* The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watts_Riots 1965 Watts riots] in California.
* The [[wikipedia:Watts Riots|1965 Watts riots]] in California.
* The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1967_Detroit_riot 1967 riots in Detroit], which the city never fully recovered from.
* The [[wikipedia:1967 Detroit riot|1967 riots in Detroit]], which the city never fully recovered from.
* In Indianapolis, [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|Bobby Kennedy defused such a situation the day Martin Luther King Jr. was shot: there was no riot]].
* In Indianapolis, [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|Bobby Kennedy defused such a situation the day Martin Luther King Jr. was shot: there was no riot]].
** The day after MLK Jr. was shot James Brown performed at the Boston Garden. Mayor Kevin White arranged to have the concert broadcast on local public television, and there was no rioting in Boston. Brown was thus given credit for saving Boston from burning.
** The day after MLK Jr. was shot James Brown performed at the Boston Garden. Mayor Kevin White arranged to have the concert broadcast on local public television, and there was no rioting in Boston. Brown was thus given credit for saving Boston from burning.
** In Chicago, the same day, the situation was not defused and rioting broke out. Three days later it was finally over, with 11 dead, over 500 injured and 3,000 arrested. Over 200 buildings were destroyed and nearly 1,000 were left homeless by fires.
** In Chicago, the same day, the situation was not defused and rioting broke out. Three days later it was finally over, with 11 dead, over 500 injured and 3,000 arrested. Over 200 buildings were destroyed and nearly 1,000 were left homeless by fires.
* The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_Brixton_riot 1981 Brixton Riots] in London.
* The [[wikipedia:1981 Brixton riot|1981 Brixton Riots]] in London.
** That same year, the mass protests against the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_South_Africa_rugby_union_tour_of_New_Zealand 1981 Springbok Tour in New Zealand], and the [[Serious Business|equally hardline supporters]] of the Tour. While there were [[Velvet Revolution|no fatalities or major property damage]], passions were running so high that it was [[With Us or Against Us|near impossible to stay neutral]].
** That same year, the mass protests against the [[wikipedia:1981 South Africa rugby union tour of New Zealand|1981 Springbok Tour in New Zealand]], and the [[Serious Business|equally hardline supporters]] of the Tour. While there were [[Velvet Revolution|no fatalities or major property damage]], passions were running so high that it was [[With Us or Against Us|near impossible to stay neutral]].
* The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_Los_Angeles_riots 1992 LA Riots]. There was large amounts of tension even before the officers involved in the Rodney King incident were acquitted (due to an [[Asian Store Owner]] who shot a black girl that she thought was shoplifting, being given only 5 years probation), as well as the rampant poverty in the area. The officers' acquittal was just the [[Berserk Button|straw that broke the camel's back]], so to speak.
* The [[wikipedia:1992 Los Angeles riots|1992 LA Riots]]. There was large amounts of tension even before the officers involved in the Rodney King incident were acquitted (due to an [[Asian Store Owner]] who shot a black girl that she thought was shoplifting, being given only 5 years probation), as well as the rampant poverty in the area. The officers' acquittal was just the [[Berserk Button|straw that broke the camel's back]], so to speak.
* The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_civil_unrest_in_France riots in France in 2005].
* The [[wikipedia:2005 civil unrest in France|riots in France in 2005]].
* To a certain degree, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Cronulla_riots 2005 Cronulla riots in Sydney].
* To a certain degree, the [[wikipedia:2005 Cronulla riots|2005 Cronulla riots in Sydney]].
* The anti-austerity riots throughout Europe in 2011, most notably in Greece.
* The anti-austerity riots throughout Europe in 2011, most notably in Greece.
** [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_London_riots The riots in London and other major centers in England] that same year.
** [[wikipedia:2011 London riots|The riots in London and other major centers in England]] that same year.
* During [[Mao Ze Dong]]'s [[Cultural Revolution]] in China, people were instructed to hunt down anyone suspected of being an "enemy of the people." Many of the victims were teachers, artist, doctors, religious followers. Those who were caught by Mao's Red Guard were dragged into the streets and publicly vilified by a jeering crowd. This was mandatory, and anyone not attending to these were considered enemies themselves.
* During [[Mao Ze Dong]]'s [[Cultural Revolution]] in China, people were instructed to hunt down anyone suspected of being an "enemy of the people." Many of the victims were teachers, artist, doctors, religious followers. Those who were caught by Mao's Red Guard were dragged into the streets and publicly vilified by a jeering crowd. This was mandatory, and anyone not attending to these were considered enemies themselves.


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[[Category:The Only Righteous Index of Fanatics]]
[[Category:The Only Righteous Index of Fanatics]]
[[Category:Powder Keg Crowd]]
[[Category:Powder Keg Crowd]]
[[Category:Trope]]
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Powder_Keg_Crowd"