Someone grappled by a group of
people, or in the middle of a heavy crowd suffers a -2 penalty
per person within Hitting Range, to all physical actions. (see
the Pacific Rim Sourcebook for more information on hand to hand
ranges).
To move through, or break free of a crowd, a person must make an
Escape or Strength Feat test against a difficulty of 2 times the
number of people within Hitting Range. The number the roll
succeeds by is the maximum number of meters they can move that
turn.
Alternatively, if the group/crowd is actively trying to restrain someone they can make a grapple using the highest Martial Arts or Brawling skill in the group. The person being grappled will then have to make an Escape or Strength Feat test with a difficulty equal to the grapple roll +2 per additional person actively trying to pin him.
Examples: Storm is working security for a rock concert, the crowd are pressed up against the stage virtually trapping Storm. Storm sees a possible security risk and has to force her way through the crowd. There are 10 people within Hitting range, Storm rolls a 26 for her Escape roll, she manages to move 6 meters closer to the suspected security risk this turn.
Storm gets jumped by 5 gangers, who are trying to restrain her. The highest Reflexes + Brawling total in the group is 10, normally Storm could easily escape someone with such a low level of competence, but because the ganger's 4 friends are assisting him, Storm will now have to test her Escape or Strength Feat verse a difficulty of 10 + (4 x 2) = 18 + 1d10.