News
Crowd Psychology: What Do We Need to Know?
Understanding crowd behaviour is essential for communicating effectively with crowds and managing them appropriately. In this blog, we share some of the key insights, with a particular focus on conflictual crowds, such as protesters.
Oasis at Knebworth: How a Strong Social Identity Contributed to a Safe Event
Thirty years ago, British band Oasis played the biggest concerts of their career on 10 and 11 August 1996. Over one weekend, the hugely popular band performed to 250,000 people at the grounds of Knebworth House in Hertfordshire. The documentary ‘Oasis...
Light as a smart guidance tool for crowd management and evacuations
Would you rather follow a green or a red illuminated sign when safety is at stake? Are you sensitive to light and colours, or do you mainly tend to turn right (often unconsciously) when trying to find a way out? New research results from Delft University...
Crowds, behaviour, and boundaries: what the Liverpool celebration teaches us
In February 2026, an independent study was published regarding the events that happened during the Liverpool FC Victory Parade of 26 May 2025. This was conducted by Eric Stuart of Gentian Events on behalf of Liverpool City Council. The study contains...
Ten years after the Bataclan and the Stade de France
By Julie CarlierOn November 13, 2015, one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Europe took place in Paris. At the Stade de France, three terrorists blew themselves up at the entrance gates after they were denied entry to a football match between France...
Signage is an art (also in Canada) – some basic considerations to be effective
By Syan Schaap Signs are always fun! Wherever I go, I have the habit to have a good look at the signage, and I try to decide how clearly understandable a sign is. Signage is an art, it can well be based on scientific insights, but it also seems to have a cultural...
Oscillations in Crowds at Events: What Does This Mean for Crowd Management?
By Julie Carlier Every large festival, city celebration, sporting event, or mass protest has them: crowds. Young and old, religious and non-religious, participating for the sport, music, or simply the atmosphere. Recent research by Gu, et al. (2025) offers...
Crowd safety starts with belonging
By Eszter Hollósy, Intern at ESI Organizing safe events goes beyond fences and regulations. Research reveals that crowd psychology, especially the social identity approach (SIA), offers transformative benefits, backed by real-world applications, including...
Vehicle Attacks on Events: What Can Be Done to Protect Our Crowds?
In recent years, several vehicle-based attacks targeting crowds have taken place globally, where vehicles have been used as weapons. The term "hostile vehicle" refers to a vehicle that is deliberately used to cause harm, often by driving into crowds at busy events....
Hexagons: The Secret Weapon for Safer, Smarter, Crowds
A guest blog by Alan Wilson, ‘Crowd Control Guy’ in Western Australia Let’s talk about hexagons, the unsung hero of crowd safety and pedestrian mobility. You might think I’m obsessed. Well, you’d be right! If you’re still planning events and public spaces...
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