Many question if the police tactic of "kettling," or containing, protesters is "appropriate and proportionate." But how does kettling work? And how has it developed into a tactic-of-choice when it comes to controlling large, peaceful crowds?
- STEP 1: Order demonstrators to disperse.
- STEP 2: Keep them from dispersing.
- STEP 3: Arrest them for failure to disperse.
Kettling in theory (without mass arrests)
"Kettling" is the police tactic of punishing crowds for gathering by subjecting them to disorienting strategies then arresting them in their confusion. Crowds are ordered to leave, then kept from leaving, then subjected to various forms of excessive force and brutality:
Kettling in actual practice
Why corral and concentrate a crowd being lawfully-ordered to leave the area?
The peaceful and legally assembled demonstrators will instantly be made criminals engaged in criminal conduct (illegal assembly, failure to disperse, disregarding a lawful order, disturbing the peace, loitering, "terrorist" activity, or anything since these are only allegations to be litigated later and anyone disagreeing can expect "resisting arrest" to be added charges).
Once they are guilty of a subsequent "crime," in addition to illegal assembly, they are subject to arrest by all means necessary. And paramilitary police feel free to deploy all of their toys on them to justify all of their expensive SWAT and military crowd control training.
Riot police kettle demonstrators at Camp for Climate Action, part of the G-20 London summit protests.
It is unethical, immoral, and possibly illegal, but it is effective as an excuse to arrest, handcuff (cutting circulation to the hands as a matter of course and punishment), process, detain, jail, possibly charge, remand into custody, extract bail from, and force to appear before a magistrate, traumatize, fine, justify expensive training and equipment, and possibly imprison...
All for what end? To have a chilling effect on free speech and silence lawful dissent and deter civil disobedience. Obey. Shop. Focus on your electronic devices and distracting screens.
- lacerations, ruptured organs, and blunt force trauma via batons, semi-deadly projectiles (pellet sacs playfully called "bean bags," non-metal cannons called "rubber bullets," paralyzing pain missiles called "foam batons," etc.), teargas, mace, pepper spray, and experimental chemical agents (as deployed in Tahrir Square labelled "teargas" but disorienting and asphyxiating protesters) all of which are quite capable of being lethal. This culminates in arrest (not release as originally imagined) and subjected to further trauma in jail.
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Kettling in actual practice
Why corral and concentrate a crowd being lawfully-ordered to leave the area?
The peaceful and legally assembled demonstrators will instantly be made criminals engaged in criminal conduct (illegal assembly, failure to disperse, disregarding a lawful order, disturbing the peace, loitering, "terrorist" activity, or anything since these are only allegations to be litigated later and anyone disagreeing can expect "resisting arrest" to be added charges).
Once they are guilty of a subsequent "crime," in addition to illegal assembly, they are subject to arrest by all means necessary. And paramilitary police feel free to deploy all of their toys on them to justify all of their expensive SWAT and military crowd control training.
Riot police kettle demonstrators at Camp for Climate Action, part of the G-20 London summit protests.
It is unethical, immoral, and possibly illegal, but it is effective as an excuse to arrest, handcuff (cutting circulation to the hands as a matter of course and punishment), process, detain, jail, possibly charge, remand into custody, extract bail from, and force to appear before a magistrate, traumatize, fine, justify expensive training and equipment, and possibly imprison...All for what end? To have a chilling effect on free speech and silence lawful dissent and deter civil disobedience. Obey. Shop. Focus on your electronic devices and distracting screens.
