How Security Professionals Can Manage Threats From Extremism And Covid-19 Backlash

This article was originally featured on Forbes

Count corporate security professionals among those wary of our country’s turbulent political landscape. The results of a recent survey my company, Ontic, conducted indicate that the rise in domestic extremism and political-related violence were among the highest concerns of security, compliance and legal professionals whose job it is to keep companies safe. The survey asked what concerned the respondents the most regarding their companies’ physical security, and 32% cited “rising extremism, social and political issues,” with 31% citing backlash from vaccination requirements.

It’s not surprising considering that, worldwide, many protests have become violent. In Melbourne, for example, construction workers and other demonstrators that government officials said included extremist provocateurs clashed with police, threw bottles and smashed loudspeakers as they protested the government’s COVID-19 vaccine requirements.

The results are a sign that the impact of the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol continues to reverberate, just as our social media feeds serve daily reminders that quickly escalating confrontations over mask usage and vaccine policies occur regularly. We also see it playing out in Canada, where a loosely organized group of truckers blocked border crossings and brought gridlock to Ottawa. For many business leaders, the political climate has sparked a litany of questions: Can these issues disrupt my supply chain? Are the people involved a part of my supply chain? Are there other risks to the business?

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