Losing Control
Chapter 4 discusses the first of three paths to protest violence discussed in the book. Each of these paths involves interactions, interpretations, and emotional dynamics that emerge between the start of the protest and violence erupting. In this first path, police mismanagement and spatial incursions merge into a loss-of-control path. In this path, the organization of police forces is either flawed or breaks down during the protest situation. When the resulting uncertainty and disorientation of officers is combined with territorial invasions by protesters, officers perceive a loss of control over the situation. This loss of control leads officers to assume that usually reliable situational routines have broken down, which increases tensions and fear and favors physical clashes. The chapter uses detailed case vignettes to illustrate how a loss-of-control path unfolds. It examines the role of territory in protests and provides insights into police objectives and training.