What is the best way to break up a fight?

[Kittan Bachika]

Bunch of friends of mine were talking about breaking up fights, we all agreed that you have to be really careful about it.

Below is a clip of a news reporter breaking up a fight
http://youtu.be/s5Q_eABv_QQ?t=53s
The reporter almost gets smacked by a baton.

One of my friends told me a story of seeing two guys fighting, the girlfriend of one of the guys tried to break it up and ended up
distracting her boyfriend and the other guy threw in a cheap shot.

 

[elder999]

Bunch of friends of mine were talking about breaking up fights, we all agreed that you have to be really careful about it.

Below is a clip of a news reporter breaking up a fight
http://youtu.be/s5Q_eABv_QQ?t=53s
The reporter almost gets smacked by a baton.

One of my friends told me a story of seeing two guys fighting, the girlfriend of one of the guys tried to break it up and ended up
distracting her boyfriend and the other guy threw in a cheap shot.

Taser.

 

[ballen0351]

OC Spray is how I do it. Other then that call the police let them deal with it.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Entirely depends on the specifics. Might be as simple as yelling "Knock it off you idiots!" or as complicated as shooting one or more of the people involved. Or somewhere in between.

 

[Cyriacus]

The following is just my opinion. I say opinion because i have no experience in the matter. Frankly, i probably wouldnt get involved physically. Verbally, sure. Verbally ill stand back and yell at them, but im not going to risk god knows what going wrong because i felt like it was my problem. That might be a bit harsh, but id like to think (and though it may be accurate, its accurate at the expense of some decency) that its good self protection to protect yourself over someone you dont know.

Now, with that being said, it depends whats happening. If someones being raped in the back seat of a car, theres no way im gonna go over there and stick my head through the door. Ill call the police and try to collect as much information about the man and the car as i can. Going over there to try and be a hero might not end too well for me. Him doing something to her or me aside, what if its a ploy to get someone over there so that three guys can come running in to beat you and steal whatever you have on you worth stealing? Theres just not enough information.

Now lets say its two guys pounding each others heads in. A mutual fight. Well, that depends too. If its ego driven, like two drunks in a bar, theyd probably enjoy being held back, simply because that gives them a chance to feel like theyve shown the other persons whos boss, and someone else had to 'hold them back'.

Now lets take that video. The black guy was defending himself from what i saw. The reporter just stopped the beatdown that followed, which wasnt too bad since the guy on the receiving end just popped right back up. Furthermore, who else took the time to watch the other two people in the background? What if the guy with the baton got knocked down, then the other guy decided to come along and take out the black guy, who cant defend himself because the reporters holding him down?

Then at the end of it, the bald white guy wants to go for another round while the guy with the baton decides to leave. Meaning his friend is now outnumbered 2-1 with a bunch of reporters restraining him. Notice where he is in the end? At 1:20? Heres a question for y'all to ponder. Where did the fourth guy go? Watch the video again. Pay close attention to the fourth guy, and now try and tell me that the reporters intervention didnt put the defender in a very, very vulnerable position. At one point, his head was open and exposed less than a meter from the guys feet. Think about it. 1:22, the black guy is being 'backed off' by the reporter, STRAIGHT INTO THE FOURTH GUY.

Furthermore, you have to figure all this crap out in a second, maybe two. If you make a bad call someone else could suffer for it, not just you. Youre not the only person at risk. Your intervention wont necessarily be a good thing. That was an example of things not being too serious.

Just my opinion.

 

[Instructor]

Firehose...

 

[Dirty Dog]

Firehose...

That works with dogs...

 

[harlan]

I prefer to keep my hands clean, use superior firepower/technology and not judge.

I'd run them both over with my car and let God sort it out.

Oh wait...your serious? :angel:

911.

 

[oftheherd1]

Entirely depends on the specifics. Might be as simple as yelling "Knock it off you idiots!" or as complicated as shooting one or more of the people involved. Or somewhere in between.

That, what Cyriacus said about reasons not to get involved at all, and those that say call 911. One size just doesn't fit all.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Bunch of friends of mine were talking about breaking up fights, we all agreed that you have to be really careful about it.

Below is a clip of a news reporter breaking up a fight
http://youtu.be/s5Q_eABv_QQ?t=53s
The reporter almost gets smacked by a baton.

One of my friends told me a story of seeing two guys fighting, the girlfriend of one of the guys tried to break it up and ended up
distracting her boyfriend and the other guy threw in a cheap shot.

No such thing as a cheap shot, after the fight starts.
Sean

 

[Gnarlie]

Stop it from starting. With words.

Once it's started, wait.

Gnarlie

 

[jks9199]

If you have to do it -- use overwhelming force. OC can work. Tasers might work. Grabbing a bunch of your uninvolved buddies and grabbing the fighters can work. Knocking both of the idiots fighting out with sucker punches has a good chance of success... but you have to hit both of them pretty close together.

Generally -- if you don't have to get involved, it's often the best idea not to do so, and let folks with better firepower do it instead. How many times do refs get pasted in the ring trying to control a fight?

 

[chinto]

short of cycling a 12 gage pump Shot Gun, yell and stand back.. and if you do cycle that shotgun you better be willing to fire it with out hesitation! better yet call 911 yell at them or just walk away.. if its a friend being attacked, then you should use maximum force to subdue and stop the attacker stopping as soon as the attacker stops attacking you and your friend...
but that baton could easily have been a blade or a pistol.... think about it!

 

[oaktree]

This is just my opinion having tried to break up a fight.
1. If they are punching do not jump in the middle and try to push anyone
Away you might get hit. I have seen ias well were 2 people
Were fighting some guy tried to break it up and now the 2 people
Fighting are fighting the guy who tried to break it up because he interfered!
2. Don't hold your friend back by restraining his arms and pull him backwards
This just lets it easier for the other guy to beat him up.
Anyway thats just my experience and things I have seen.

 

[Brian King]

From a Martial Talk thread posted a couple of years ago but still relevant I think
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/sh...ouldn-you-break-this-up?p=1405248#post1405248

Regards
Brian King