Guards at Stadium Conventions during Song and Prayer (page 3)

jwsons

Nah, they only stand there to count how many brothers and sisters in each talk.!!

jwsons

I think what your seeing are the attendants moving into their positions. All attendants have been instructed to look at the crowd during prayers and songs because the old and infirm have to stand and they should to see if anyone has any difficulty.

Nothing more sinister than this.

The only other team it could have been was the "fast response" team who go to dispel trouble spots around the stadium.??????

blondie

Welcome, blobby, and thanks for additional insight.

Blondie

garybuss

Old news! Here are bodyguards in 1940.

garybuss

Here is the assembly "speaker" with his bodyguards in 1940. Note the canes:-)

blobby

I've been involved with the conventions for several years and my pal was a big wig organising the teams. To my knowledge, there are basically 4 teams (in the UK)

1 Attendants: General care and well being

2) Fast response team: Attending to trouble spots

3) Health & safety: As name suggests

4) Watchers: Looking for intruders, which there will always be at such large gatherings of any kind

I don't know of any others and I've been (had) to every training session since 1995 and the only thing on the agenda is taking care of the brothers, I don't believe there is anything sinister.

The old photo's from the 40's are good to see but that was then and nothing like that goes on anymore??

Elsewhere

It sounds like they were trying to identify everyone who did not bow their heads during the prayer or sing.

This would be a great way to idenitify targets to watch more closely.

RandomTask

Hey VM44, you are in San Diego huh? Me too!

Anyway, the last convention I went to must have been 2000 and I don't remember that there were a ring of guys down there that stood up during the song and prayer. Its almost like during a Padres games between innings how they have the security guards get up and look into the stands huh? I do remember they had about 4 guys with chairs and umbrellas in various spots around the field before, but nothing like how you described it.

I (again) won't be there this month, but I am curious about how they are going to set up the stage with there being no baseball field there any longer. Can someone post some pictures?

willyloman

As an attendant at a Dist Conv one year, I was stationed on one of the four corners of the platform in the middle of a large convention hall. My chair faced out. I was told to concentrate on traffic flow and keep an eye on the aisles leading down to the convention floor, as that is where interlopers were most likely to appear if they made a run for the stage or unfurled a banner. I was told to be especially watchful during the song and the prayer, times when brothers' attention might be easily diverted. I quickly fell into the role of Secret Service man, protecting what may as well have been the President of the U.S. This was at least 20 years ago or more, so this is nothing new. I was told that there were "reports" that some apostates planned a demonstration of some kind that might involve "rushing the platform." The overseer told me that under no circumstances was I to allow any unauthorized person to reach the microphone.

No would-be assassins, real or imaginary, showed up that day. Next morning I was rotated out and given the job of taking attendance. I spent the next two days watching the various attendants sitting in MY seat, hoping they wouldn't get to have all the fun. They didn't.

ApagaLaLuz

I love that stadium, it's my favorite. Those little curly q things were loads of fun to race your friends down.

I just think if a crowd of 40,000 are all gonna close thier eyes at the same time, it's probably a good idea to have SOMEONE with their eyes open. Also, after the prayer everyone is in a hurry to gather their things and get the hell outta there, someone's gotta direct traffic.

Guards at Stadium Conventions during Song and Prayer

Share this