Any form of smoke (cooking, warmth, etc.) will draw the kind of people that you don't want around you. Although it may also draw those genuinely seeking help, and ready to do what they can to assist you. But you should be VERY careful about fire at all under these circumstance until you are a good distance from those you belive may be interested in doing you harm...and I would maintain some kind of watch even after that.

As far as soldiers vs cops, I have been both. Cops are trained (and I mean trained) to trick you into giving up your constitutional rights. I am not saying that they are all bad, but that is just the simple truth of it. Soldiers do what they are told. If they are told that no one is allowed to walk around after dark, then they do their best to make sure no one is walking around after dark, and so on. Either way, both would be a threat to you, the person attempting to leave a quarantined area, and not your friend. At least if you have any advantage over your fellow citizens. That is to say that if you are more prepared than they are, your supplies will be readily taken from you to "help" everyone. Reminds me of welfare and social security.

I don't think the circumstances surrounding the ML would matter all that much, other than determining what you might be trying to carry out with you, if it is there, you will be pulled into the crowd, and if you resist, well...

I think Russ makes one of the best points, if you see something coming that is a genuine threat, try to get out before there is a mad rush, ie. Hurricain Katrina. And while all of the things that the government could do may not be done in that situation, shouldn't you be prepared for it anyway. If they allow you to walk out of the city carrying a rifle and toting a pack, great, but what if they don't?

One other note on authority and private security. I am not sure how it works exactly in other states, but in FL, the sherrif of a county can "deputize" anyone he wishes to act on his behalf. That is, if he wanted to deputize a private company, he has that authority. I don't think it would be a good idea in most cases, but he could do it nonetheless. Concerning BW, I have a buddy who works with them and was in NOLA, and I have firsthand account that they were sent in, before the levvies broke, to start confiscating firearms. Who sent them and by waht jurisdiction seems to still be under the table, but it happened nonetheless. The reason given the guys that went in was that they feared riots, and thought that disarmed crowds would be easier to handle. But in the long run, this may have added to the problem by creating people who thought the Feds were there to take their liberties and not help.

Things to think about.

Smackdaddyj