Riot Tactics and their Origins
How modern riot policing is influenced by ancient history
A riot can often resemble a pitched battle to onlookers. Both sides are generally in packed masses and fighting for possession of ground. The resulting spectacle is akin to some form of medieval struggle. Many of the formations and the tactics used in riots have their origins in ancient and medieval warfare.
Charge
The charge is one of the oldest and simplest riot tactics. It involves a group of police officers charging at a crowd. The charge has a profound psychological effect with some in the crowd breaking and running. Anyone who doesn’t run is then beaten by the police with batons.
The charge, of course, is something older than history. Animals like the elephant or gorilla use it in the wild as a display of strength and to frighten off threats. The charge alone is often enough to scare away an opponent. This holds true in warfare as well. Inexperienced troops will break rather than face a charging enemy.
Regional variations for batons include the African sjambok and the Indian lathi. The former is a heavy leather whip and is most commonly associated with the Apartheid era. The lathi is a long cane with a metal tip and is usually 6 to 8 feet in length (2.4m). George MacDonald Fraser…
