kettling

American  

[ket-ling, ket-l-ing] / ˈkɛt lɪŋ, ˈkɛt l ɪŋ /

1. a crowd control technique, in which a line of police officers encircles demonstrators and confines them in a contained area known as a kettle.

   Coverage of the protests has focused on the controversial use of kettling.

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Etymology

Origin of kettling

First recorded in 2005–10; kettle ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kettling

In March, New York City agreed to pay $6 million, or $21,500 each, to about 300 protesters who were corralled by officers during the June 4 Mott Haven protest using a tactic known as kettling.

From Washington Times ● Jul. 20, 2023

Oftentimes the police will use the bike racks to hem in protesters further, a process called kettling, which makes that cramped feeling even more extreme.

From Slate ● May 22, 2023

Police have also engaged in kettling, Baudouin said, in which officers surround large crowds and prevent them from leaving.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 26, 2023

Then-Mayor Bill de Blasio also defended kettling, with both leaders saying the tactic was necessary to fend off burglaries and chaos taking place in some Manhattan neighborhoods.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 2, 2023

They were kettling people into the entrance, so there was massive queues and crushing, which was clearly a sign of things to come.

From BBC ● May 30, 2022