Chris Cocking
@chriscocking.bsky.social
Social Psychologist interested in crowd behaviour, mass emergencies, pandemics, collective resilience, social influence, public messaging & media/social discourse. No unsolicited DMs please
Eye-witness reports of extreme heroism in response to #TrainAttack in Cambridgeshire, UK last night. Man uses own head to protect woman from being stabbed. Evidence of concept of 'zero responders' & shows that people don't tend to 'panic' in emergencies. www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...
'Run, there's a guy stabbing everyone' - eyewitnesses describe attack
Two passengers on the Doncaster-London train during Saturday's stabbing attack describe chaos as people scrambled for safety.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 2, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Eye-witness reports of extreme heroism in response to #TrainAttack in Cambridgeshire, UK last night. Man uses own head to protect woman from being stabbed. Evidence of concept of 'zero responders' & shows that people don't tend to 'panic' in emergencies. www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...
Please don’t use the term ‘stampede’ to describe tragedies such as these @theguardian.com as it rarely matches up with what actually happens. This tragedy is more likely to have been a crowd crush or crowd collapse & it’s unlikely that people were trampled to death by other crowd members
September 27, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Please don’t use the term ‘stampede’ to describe tragedies such as these @theguardian.com as it rarely matches up with what actually happens. This tragedy is more likely to have been a crowd crush or crowd collapse & it’s unlikely that people were trampled to death by other crowd members
Reposted by Chris Cocking
Next, @chriscocking.bsky.social presented his preliminary findings on his collective identity research concerning the right-wing protests in the UK since the August 24 riots by exploring using visual and audio data collection methods 🧵3/5
September 10, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Next, @chriscocking.bsky.social presented his preliminary findings on his collective identity research concerning the right-wing protests in the UK since the August 24 riots by exploring using visual and audio data collection methods 🧵3/5
Reposted by Chris Cocking
At @bps-social-psych.bsky.social the @behaviourresuk.bsky.social funded symposium on our 2024 riots project @swedishprotests.bsky.social @drannetempleton.bsky.social
September 10, 2025 at 8:58 AM
At @bps-social-psych.bsky.social the @behaviourresuk.bsky.social funded symposium on our 2024 riots project @swedishprotests.bsky.social @drannetempleton.bsky.social
There was no 'riot' at Mo Chara's court appearance in London today, which reinforces my previous point below that charging him with incitement to riot after Kneecap's Glastonbury set would have been ridiculous @kneecapceol.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
August 20, 2025 at 4:03 PM
There was no 'riot' at Mo Chara's court appearance in London today, which reinforces my previous point below that charging him with incitement to riot after Kneecap's Glastonbury set would have been ridiculous @kneecapceol.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
So this is where I’ll be laying my head this evening in mid Wales. That works for me!
August 12, 2025 at 5:48 PM
So this is where I’ll be laying my head this evening in mid Wales. That works for me!
The Press often say ‘riot Police are on alert’ for a demo, but it’s utterly meaningless. There will always be riot police on alert (that’s inherent within their role!). I only saw 2 officers from the TSG (MPS public order unit) in Parliament Square at the protest & they were deployed as advisors
As usual, the Sunday Express attempts to incite violence.
There was no “riot”. There will be no “riot”. We are a peaceful movement who are actively opposed to violence - we silently hold cardboard signs.
Join us: wedonotcomply.org
There was no “riot”. There will be no “riot”. We are a peaceful movement who are actively opposed to violence - we silently hold cardboard signs.
Join us: wedonotcomply.org
August 11, 2025 at 11:11 AM
The Press often say ‘riot Police are on alert’ for a demo, but it’s utterly meaningless. There will always be riot police on alert (that’s inherent within their role!). I only saw 2 officers from the TSG (MPS public order unit) in Parliament Square at the protest & they were deployed as advisors
Coverage I've seen so far of #Tsunami shows mercifully little damage and/or casualties. Also reports from #Hawaii of people being 'civilized' & no 'panic' as they evacuate, which fits with most research into mass emergency behaviour
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c3...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c3...
Tsunami reaches Hawaii and California as earthquake off Russia triggers warnings - live updates
Two million people are told to evacuate in Japan after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake, one of the strongest ever, hits Russia's eastern coast.
www.bbc.co.uk
July 30, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Coverage I've seen so far of #Tsunami shows mercifully little damage and/or casualties. Also reports from #Hawaii of people being 'civilized' & no 'panic' as they evacuate, which fits with most research into mass emergency behaviour
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c3...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c3...
I was interviewed on @bbc5live.bsky.social this morning about the possibility of riots this summer & my clip is from 49.00-51.00 minutes into the following link;
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Briefer interaction than anticipated, so a lot of what I'd intended to say didn't get covered
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Briefer interaction than anticipated, so a lot of what I'd intended to say didn't get covered
Nicky Campbell - 23/07/2025 - BBC Sounds
Nicky Campbell takes your calls on the day's talking points.
www.bbc.co.uk
July 23, 2025 at 10:47 AM
I was interviewed on @bbc5live.bsky.social this morning about the possibility of riots this summer & my clip is from 49.00-51.00 minutes into the following link;
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Briefer interaction than anticipated, so a lot of what I'd intended to say didn't get covered
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Briefer interaction than anticipated, so a lot of what I'd intended to say didn't get covered
An article I wrote in 2014 highlighted the Battle of #Orgreave during the UK miners' strike was the 1st large scale example of the British Police adopting tactics used by the colonial Police force in Hong Kong
theconversation.com/how-the-uk-i...
theconversation.com/how-the-uk-i...
July 21, 2025 at 4:57 PM
An article I wrote in 2014 highlighted the Battle of #Orgreave during the UK miners' strike was the 1st large scale example of the British Police adopting tactics used by the colonial Police force in Hong Kong
theconversation.com/how-the-uk-i...
theconversation.com/how-the-uk-i...
Irrespective of Kneecap's stated political views, it would have been ridiculous to have charged them with incitement to riot after their Glastonbury performance. I explored this further in thread below that I posted previously #Kneecap
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
July 18, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Irrespective of Kneecap's stated political views, it would have been ridiculous to have charged them with incitement to riot after their Glastonbury performance. I explored this further in thread below that I posted previously #Kneecap
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
I was interviewed for BBC Radio Sussex today about the 20th anniversary of 7/7 to talk about the research I did with @profjohndrury.bsky.social into the collective resilience of those affected by the explosions. My bit starts at 1.13.30 in link below
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Danny Pike - 07/07/2025 - BBC Sounds
Danny brings you the perfect start to your day in Sussex.
www.bbc.co.uk
July 7, 2025 at 11:23 AM
I was interviewed for BBC Radio Sussex today about the 20th anniversary of 7/7 to talk about the research I did with @profjohndrury.bsky.social into the collective resilience of those affected by the explosions. My bit starts at 1.13.30 in link below
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Reposted by Chris Cocking
1/10 On this day 20 years ago, I was with @chriscocking.bsky.social and Steve Reicher at the Royal Society summer exhibition in London, presenting our work on how people behave in emergency evacuations. As I tried to travel to the exhibition venue, I was part of a crowd of
July 7, 2025 at 7:44 AM
1/10 On this day 20 years ago, I was with @chriscocking.bsky.social and Steve Reicher at the Royal Society summer exhibition in London, presenting our work on how people behave in emergency evacuations. As I tried to travel to the exhibition venue, I was part of a crowd of
Reposted by Chris Cocking
'Adrian applied a tourniquet and pinched shut the artery in Dan's thigh to stop him bleeding to death.'
@chriscocking.bsky.social and I found many other examples like this of mutual aid among survivors in our research on this major incident.
@ukri.org funded
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
@chriscocking.bsky.social and I found many other examples like this of mutual aid among survivors in our research on this major incident.
@ukri.org funded
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
London bombings: I survived 7/7, but still see the suicide bomber everywhere
Dan Biddle recalls a bright, white flash as a bomb was detonated just metres away from him on a London Underground train.
www.bbc.co.uk
July 6, 2025 at 1:10 PM
'Adrian applied a tourniquet and pinched shut the artery in Dan's thigh to stop him bleeding to death.'
@chriscocking.bsky.social and I found many other examples like this of mutual aid among survivors in our research on this major incident.
@ukri.org funded
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
@chriscocking.bsky.social and I found many other examples like this of mutual aid among survivors in our research on this major incident.
@ukri.org funded
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
The decision to investigate these acts illustrates some potentially concerning issues with what Avon & Somerset Police have recorded as a 'public order incident'. I'll stick to what I saw of the Kneecap set via BBC iPlayer, as I didn't see the Bob Vylan set
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Glastonbury: Police launch investigation into Bob Vylan and Kneecap sets
It follows performances from both bands on Saturday at the Glastonbury music festival in Somerset.
www.bbc.co.uk
June 30, 2025 at 4:31 PM
The decision to investigate these acts illustrates some potentially concerning issues with what Avon & Somerset Police have recorded as a 'public order incident'. I'll stick to what I saw of the Kneecap set via BBC iPlayer, as I didn't see the Bob Vylan set
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Article below interviewed me about the #NottingHillCarnival in London and why I thought concerns about a mass casualty incident are potentially being exaggerated
www.the-londoner.co.uk/notting-hill...
www.the-londoner.co.uk/notting-hill...
Notting Hill Carnival has been framed as a disaster waiting to happen. Is it?
Plus: the art world embraces Croydon and we reveal the best pre-train tacos
www.the-londoner.co.uk
June 24, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Article below interviewed me about the #NottingHillCarnival in London and why I thought concerns about a mass casualty incident are potentially being exaggerated
www.the-londoner.co.uk/notting-hill...
www.the-londoner.co.uk/notting-hill...
As someone who works in crowd safety management, I know that it's difficult to accurately estimate crowd size. But from seeing the photos of the event, I can confidently state that claims that >1/4m people attended Trump's military parade is way off the mark! #NoKings
apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com/article/trum...
Military parade rolls through DC as 'No Kings' protesters across US decry Trump
The grand military parade that President Donald Trump wanted for eight years has barreled down Constitution Avenue in Washington with tanks, troops and a 21-gun salute.
apnews.com
June 16, 2025 at 2:35 PM
As someone who works in crowd safety management, I know that it's difficult to accurately estimate crowd size. But from seeing the photos of the event, I can confidently state that claims that >1/4m people attended Trump's military parade is way off the mark! #NoKings
apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com/article/trum...
This piece below is the best attempt to explain the #ballymenariots that I have seen yet. The PSNI's reference to 'mob mentality' doesn't adequately explain why people get involved in riots & as @BBCMarkSimpson puts it - 'People do not become racists overnight'
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
How a peaceful protest in Ballymena descended into hate-filled violence
Why did a peaceful protest in a County Antrim town end up in two nights of attacks on police?
www.bbc.co.uk
June 11, 2025 at 7:24 PM
This piece below is the best attempt to explain the #ballymenariots that I have seen yet. The PSNI's reference to 'mob mentality' doesn't adequately explain why people get involved in riots & as @BBCMarkSimpson puts it - 'People do not become racists overnight'
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...