Safety during Pony cons?

[ManaMinori 4,145]

this doesn't seem to be something I see people talking about. At all. I've been debating on going to Bronycon 2019, but after the news of a shooting by some senseless, angry gamer who lost a game in a tournament in Florida, coupled with the shooting of people in a Pokemon tournament a few years back, I'm giving more serious consideration as to whether I should even make plans to go next year. The world is a very scary and hostile place, and I know that nothing will be solved by everyone just shutting themselves in and never going anywhere, but there are some very crazy, senseless and stupid members of the fandom out there as well, who could (and have) let their emotions get the better of them to send death threats to the show writers when the show stamped on their precious headcanons- who's to say that these kinds of people won't be among us at various conventions, and pull a gun on someone at the slightest provocation, because they can't properly channel their feelings and emotions? I really think there could me more talk and effort to ensure safety at pony cons worldwide, so that its members could- and should feel more safe among the majority of complete strangers.

Edited August 27, 2018 by Nightmare Muffin

[Angle Alastor 3,805]

i havent been to a con before but after hearing about this im sure they might get security for next years con or  double the security inside and outside of ware the next one will be at , and also check on belongings before entering, i know thats a privacy issue but its always better to be safe.

[Brony Number 42 10,069]

I didn't see them this year but in years past I have seen city police patrolling the convention. You could become a victim of a crime anywhere. The people who commit those crimes plan them, they don't spontaneously decide to kill someone. You're pretty safe in a crowd because there are people to respond. And if you stick with me, you'll be safe 

[Moon Glow 81]

To be fair, this is really more of a specifically American issue (re: gun violence) and while safety in numbers is the usual go-to idea, in a mass shooting you're really more of a fish in a barrel.

I'm Canadian, I already have trepidation about going to the US even though I'm there at least once a week (I live on the border lol) to Detroit and this is something that goes through my mind every time I do cross, regardless. Either way, the odds of something like that happening at a pony con, to me, feels REALLY low. The fandom itself is smaller, less noticeable, not as much as a big deal so it kind of eliminates outside threats and the people IN the fandom I don't feel really are that sick despite the death threats. Ever fandom has nutters who send death threats to VA's, actors, writers, etc when something doesn't work for them. It's not ever an excuse to not take every threat seriously, just something to consider in regards to lowering the odds of such a tragedy happening.

And while these are often planned, they are not plans that are ever privy to the public so it's not like you would know if there was someone planning a shooting. Having added security such as police, metal detectors, and a ban on any real weapon or firearm (which I'm pretty sure the cons do that anyway, seems standard) would significantly help reduce the risk.

I really wouldn't worry about it much. I plan on attending, myself 

[Denim&Venöm 19,076]

I've gone to bronycon 5 years straight. Nothing happened. I've been to Anime central in Chicago 10 years straight. Nothing happened. Went to ponyville Ciderfest 4 years straight in downtown Milwaukee. Nothing happened. 

Not doing something because a tragedy might happen is how terrorism works. Your letting all the horrible people behind shootings and violent crimes rule your life. 

Don't give them that power. Don't let them win. Go to coventions and other stuff in defiance of them. 

You have better chances of getting struck by lightening than getting gunned down at a con. 

[cuteycindyhoney 13,307]

1 hour ago, Denim&Venom said:

I've gone to bronycon 5 years straight. Nothing happened. I've been to Anime central in Chicago 10 years straight. Nothing happened. Went to ponyville Ciderfest 4 years straight in downtown Milwaukee. Nothing happened. 

Not doing something because a tragedy might happen is how terrorism works. Your letting all the horrible people behind shootings and violent crimes rule your life. 

Don't give them that power. Don't let them win. Go to coventions and other stuff in defiance of them. 

You have better chances of getting struck by lightening than getting gunned down at a con. 

I agree with you completely.

[Creamy Arty 6,252]

Baltimore is a horrible city and I think that should be a bigger concern. Tbh I'm usually packing some heat whenever I go to Baltimore. As a veteran of BronyCon and BABScon who has never felt the least bit threatened at either of them, try to relax. You're more likely to get murdered by a random city resident in the street than in a con.

[BornAgainBrony 2,397]

As the old saying goes, if you give into fear, the terrorists win. That said, I did have this thought already as it applies to Bronycon or any other public venue, and if anything like that ever happens (things like the Vegas concert incident aside), I'm rushing straight at the shooter. That said, hatred of Bronies isn't nearly as big as it used to be and if it was going to happen at all, it probably would have happened years ago.

[DubWolf 17,264]

I'm superstitious; I feel like the act of trying to suggest some measure of safety to prevent something from happening, then saying "it won't happen so let's not worry" makes it happen, like you're giving Murphy's Law a chance to play with us .

[zombienixon 330]

19 hours ago, Artemis said:

Baltimore is a horrible city and I think that should be a bigger concern. Tbh I'm usually packing some heat whenever I go to Baltimore. As a veteran of BronyCon and BABScon who has never felt the least bit threatened at either of them, try to relax. You're more likely to get murdered by a random city resident in the street than in a con.

Yeah, if you want to go to Bronycon, do not leave the Inner Harbor or Fells Point unless you like getting mobbed by homeless drug addicts asking you for money for "food". The convention center itself you shouldn't be worried about. Nothing happened there even in 2016, when some of those protests got ugly. 

[BlueStreak98 828]

I'm certain that the organizers of the con (and most cons, for that matter) have taken the recent waves of violence into account and are taking necessary precautions to keep congoers as safe as they've been up to this point.

[BornAgainBrony 2,397]

18 hours ago, zombienixon said:

Yeah, if you want to go to Bronycon, do not leave the Inner Harbor or Fells Point unless you like getting mobbed by homeless drug addicts asking you for money for "food". The convention center itself you shouldn't be worried about. Nothing happened there even in 2016, when some of those protests got ugly. 

Always wondered how of all places they picked... Baltimore.

Sort of like, "Hey, let's place a temporary island stronghold in the center of a lake of molten lava." I guess because magma-front property is pretty cheap?

Edited August 29, 2018 by bornAgainEquestrian

[starrymiss 114]

Gotta love unfettered access to guns in this country.

As for coping with that fear, it's definitely hard. Seeing gun violence on the news makes attacks seem more likely than they really are. 

I'd say accept that there's a chance it could happen- it could always happen. But it's not very likely. Security is taken very seriously at big events. At every con or concert I've been to, there's been no violence, or risk of violence.

I hate that I even have to say this, but maybe reading up on what to do during a crisis/attack will help. Make you feel prepared for anything. At my college, they made every student read safety procedures in case of a shooting. 

Trust your gut if you feel unsafe in an area or see any red flags. 

[EpicEnergy 23,218]

It's unlikely that a shooting would occur at a ponycon, but it's best to be prepared anyways just in case.

[Splashee 28,564]

On 8/27/2018 at 8:11 AM, ManaMinori said:

The world is a very scary and hostile place, and I know that nothing will be solved by everyone just shutting themselves in and never going anywhere, but there are some very crazy, senseless and stupid members...

So yea... People seem to use guns in your country a lot. But Bronies probably won't shoot other Bronies? 

I don't know, since guns aren't a problem where I live. I don't understand your world.