Embarrassing Situations

Protest activity occurs somewhere in the world every day. Often, these individuals or groups target public figures at an event or at their home or office. These activities can incite ugly mobs and create potentially dangerous situations, damage property, or embarrass the protectee in the media. While some of the targeted public figures were injured in the incidents that follow, it was not the intent of the aggressors to kill or seriously injure them. Often, events simply got out of control.

Like the mob of protesters seeking attention for their cause, the pie throwers and White House fence jumpers understand the mechanics of media attention. As the acts are dutifully reported over and over, the future prankster intently watches the images unfold, and thinks, "Wow, I can do that, too!" And soon, he too is firing a cap pistol at the Pope (or perhaps a real one). What might seem bizarre to most people makes absolute sense to the attention-seeker.

Even though the perpetrators in these incidents did not intend injury, the sampling of cases does provide insight about attacker strategy, and protector response.