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Chris Cocking

@chriscocking.bsky.social
5.2K followers 6.4K following 104 posts

Social Psychologist interested in crowd behaviour, mass emergencies, pandemics, collective resilience, social influence, public messaging & media/social discourse. No unsolicited DMs please

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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Interesting that 1st Minister for NI is on the ground at #GarvaghyRoad stand off against proposed Orange Order march in #Portadown. This shows institutional support at a v high level for spontaneous crowd action & would have been unthinkable before power sharing introduced post Good Friday agreement
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/ck...
bbc.co.uk
Drumcree: Orange Order march to go ahead for first time in almost 30 years after day of legal drama
The march down the mainly-nationalist Garvaghy Road, which in the 1990s sparked some of the most serious disorder in Northern Ireland's history, will go ahead after a series of courtroom challenges.
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University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 14/09/2026
UCU members at Brighton University face the threat of derecognition. We have called an emergency rally tomorrow at 1:15pm. It would be amazing to see as many #TUC26 delegates as possible in attendance. 58-67 Grand Parade, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN2 0JY
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Daniel C. Blight @danielcblight.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
***URGENT PLEASE SHARE*** University of Brighton management have announced today that they ‘give notice of termination of all collective agreements’. This is a fundamental erasure of workers' rights. Management have announced the termination of all contractual documents, which includes:
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
We helped create UK emergency alert system - but question how government is using it www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Serious questions over use of UK emergency alerts, its creators say
Millions across England and Wales received a wildfire alert on their phones earlier this month, but it partly backfired.
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
RIP #DollyParton & here’s the Sisters of mercy cover of Jolene as a tribute youtube.com/watch?v=xvcD...
youtube.com
Sisters Of Mercy - Jolene
YouTube video by James Cameron
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
The camera oscura on Buzza Hill, St. Mary’s, the Isles of Scilly is remarkably similar to @countbinface.bsky.social
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
My cat’s getting into the England Mexico game! #worldcup2026
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Interview with man who used hurling stick to stop #Belfastattack highlights well concept of bystander intervention in emergencies aka 'zero responders' www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c7...
bbc.co.uk
Belfast knife attack latest: 12 police officers injured in latest disorder after - follow live
Riot police came under sustained attack from a group throwing bricks, bottles and pieces of wood, in unrest prompted by a serious knife attack.
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Those in authority shouldn't say 'don't panic' (as the boss of EasyJet has just done) for 2 reasons: 1) People don't tend to 'panic' anyway, so there's no point saying it 2) It makes people think there might be something to 'panic' about & distrust future messages www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
EasyJet boss says summer flights won't be hit by jet fuel shortages
The airline has seen no problems with fuel, but says people are booking later because of uncertainty caused by the Iran war.
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Recently got a letter published in @privateeyenews.bsky.social about art imitating life
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
I was interviewed today by BBC Hereford & Worcester about the psychology behind helping others in the context of the recent #BostonMarathon The story starts about 22 minutes into the clip below & my interview is from 25.00-29.30. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
bbc.co.uk
Elliott Webb - 23/04/2026 - BBC Sounds
Your stories with the very best interviews and plenty of laughter with Elliott.
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
500 Irish petrol stations could have 'no fuel by end of the day' www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Ireland fuel protests: Protester says they are willing to close Ireland down
The Irish military will be deployed to move vehicles "blocking critical infrastructure".
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
theguardian.com
Starmer says UK won’t get ‘dragged into Iran war’ and there is no need for drivers to stock up on petrol – UK politics live
UK PM to chair meeting on government’s response to economic consequences of Iran war later on Monday
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
Japanese govt is doing right thing in reassuring public that there's no need to stockpile toilet paper, but media risk creating self-fulfilling prophecy if they report 'panic-buying' www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03...
abc.net.au
Japan urges calm after consumers empty toilet paper shelves
Japan's government releases a statement assuring people there is no issue with supply and no need to stock up, despite "reports and social media posts regarding the distribution of toilet paper".
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 22/03/2026
Interesting article on crowd behaviour at gigs & the use of 'show-stop' procedure when safety is at risk. Links to scary example at an Oasis gig in 2005 when crowd surged to front, breaking crowd safety barrier. Gig had to be paused for 25 mins while it was fixed www.youtube.com/watch?v=aue6...
youtube.com
Crowd Safety - Full Length Oasis Crowd Surge Manchester from Stage Right
YouTube video by Andrew McQuillan (Crowd Safety Videos)
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
I did an interview yesterday for @BBCRadioStoke about the social psychology of trust & social/media influence to coincide with the new series of the BBC drama 'The Capture'. My bit starts at 42.00 into the following link www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
bbc.co.uk
Liz Ellis on BBC Radio Stoke - Russ Morris sits in (15/03/2026) - BBC Sounds
Russ puts a smile on your face with great guests, big events and all the music you love.
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
UK government loses appeal over Kneecap terror charge www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Kneecap: Government loses appeal over terror charge
Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, known as Mo Chara, had been accused of showing support for proscribed organisation Hezbollah following a gig in London in 2024.
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Selyst @selyst2023.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
@chriscocking.bsky.social @hasisd.bsky.social 😢 🙏🏼
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
My blog from mid-March 2020 argued that we shouldn't have delayed lockdown & that the stated reason (that the public wouldn't comply with lockdown) had no basis in behavioural science & that people would likely be more resilient dontpaniccorrectingmythsaboutthecrowd.blogspot.com/2020/03/coro...
dontpaniccorrectingmythsaboutthecrowd.blogspot.com
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... 2 main headlines from #COVIDinquiry are that earlier lockdown would have saved 1000s of lives & lockdown may have been avoided altogether if protective measures had been introduced earlier
bbc.co.uk
Covid inquiry: Lockdown could have been avoided and other key findings
The long-awaited report is published into how well or badly the government handled the Covid pandemic.
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
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/...
bbc.co.uk
'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.
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Dublin: Police van set on fire at protest outside asylum seeker hotel
Footage from the scene at Dublin's Citywest Hotel shows a police vehicle on fire.
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 27/09/2025
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
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 27/09/2025
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...
theguardian.com
At least 36 dead and more than 50 injured in stampede at Vijay rally in India
Victims include eight children at election campaign gathering in Tamil Nadu led by popular actor and politician
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BPS Social Psychology Section @bps-social-psych.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
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
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John Drury @profjohndrury.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
At @bps-social-psych.bsky.social the @behaviourresuk.bsky.social funded symposium on our 2024 riots project @swedishprotests.bsky.social @drannetempleton.bsky.social
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 27/08/2025
feelingthechill.substack.com?r=6dmo7h&utm...
feelingthechill.substack.com
Feeling the Chill: Protest & Power in the UK | Harley Wishart | Substack
I am investigating whether new legislation in the UK has created a 'chilling effect' on activists, and if it has exacerbated the 'discriminatory impact' of protest policing. Click to read Feeling the ...
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 20/08/2025
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...
bbc.co.uk
Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh: Kneecap rapper bailed on terror charge
Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terror offence after allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed organisation Hezbollah.
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
So this is where I’ll be laying my head this evening in mid Wales. That works for me!
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 11/08/2025
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
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
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...
bbc.co.uk
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.
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 23/07/2025
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
bbc.co.uk
Nicky Campbell - 23/07/2025 - BBC Sounds
Nicky Campbell takes your calls on the day's talking points.
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 21/07/2025
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 imported the Hong Kong Police’s riot control tactics
The recent mass demonstrations in Hong Kong that have been calling for greater democracy saw the police initially responding with riot squads, tear gas and pepper spray against peaceful protesters. Ho...
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 21/07/2025
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Battle of Orgreave national inquiry confirmed by Yvette Cooper
Police violently clashed with striking miners at Orgreave in South Yorkshire on 18 June 1984.
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 18/07/2025
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...
bbc.co.uk
Kneecap: Police drop investigation into Glastonbury performance
Police said there was
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 18/07/2025
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Hundreds take part in protests near asylum hotel in Epping
More than 400 people attend demonstrations near a hotel that is being used as migrant accommodation.
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 17/07/2025
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
theguardian.com
Far-right supporters attack police after protest against Essex hotel for asylum seekers
Riot police deployed to anti-immigration flashpoint in Epping as far right seek to exploit local tensions
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 07/07/2025
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/...
bbc.co.uk
Danny Pike - 07/07/2025 - BBC Sounds
Danny brings you the perfect start to your day in Sussex.
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John Drury @profjohndrury.bsky.social · 07/07/2025
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
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John Drury @profjohndrury.bsky.social · 06/07/2025
'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...
bbc.co.uk
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.
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 30/06/2025
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...
bbc.co.uk
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.
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/j...
theguardian.com
‘Poor management leads to fatal crushes’: how Glastonbury and others are dealing with big crowds
After disasters such as Astroworld and scary bottlenecks at last year’s Glastonbury, Emily Eavis and crowd experts explain how they’re trying to make events safe
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 24/06/2025
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...
the-londoner.co.uk
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
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
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
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.
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
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...
bbc.co.uk
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?
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
The PSNI have now activated a mutual aid request for help from other police forces in the UK, meaning we may see officers from the mainland deployed in NI over the coming days #BallymenaRiots www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c6...
bbc.co.uk
Ballymena: Police to significantly increase officer numbers in Ballymena after 'senseless violence'
Six people have been arrested since the disorder began on Monday after a peaceful protest over an alleged sexual assault in the County Antrim town.
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
Rioting in #Ballymena continues for 2nd night, with Police using baton rounds & water cannon. PSNI are currently the only Police force in UK to employ these tactics during public disorder www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Ballymena: Fireworks thrown at police in second night of disorder
Police say a number of homes and businesses were attacked as violence erupted again on Tuesday night.
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 09/06/2025
Worrying scenes from #LosAngelesProtests and Trump's inflammatory rhetoric ('bring in the troops') is unlikely to help. Most research into riots has shown that in order to de-escalate the situation, it's better to encourage dialogue & understanding between both sides www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cv...
bbc.co.uk
Los Angeles protests live: Police order protesters to leave downtown Los Angeles as Trump says 'bring in the troops'
As immigration raid protests continue for a third day, Trump - who has already called in the National Guard - says things
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Chris Cocking @chriscocking.bsky.social · 08/06/2025
Trump's claim that 'paid troublemakers' are behind current disorder in LA is a common myth often used to explain why people get involved in riots. This myth is almost always unfounded & not supported by any credible evidence that I'm aware of #LosAngelesProtests www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cv...
bbc.co.uk
Los Angeles protests live: National Guard to arrive in LA in 24 hours, as governor calls Trump's move 'inflammatory'
The US president says he's sending in 2,000 troops to deal with unrest over raids on undocumented migrants.
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