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Public Disorder: Policing

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Ramsbotham, has made a good point. I do not like the word ““kettling”” either. I am not entirely certain either where it came from or exactly what it means but the word that the police and the Government use is ““containment””. It is a tried-and-tested method of trying to contain those who are indulging in public disorder and disobedience. Part of the process is designed to allow people to cool off and, as I said in reply to the noble Lord, Lord Dubs, there was an exit to encourage those who wished to leave peacefully to do so. Yet it is often difficult to anticipate what is happening on the ground. The police have a difficult job to do and various means at their disposal to try to deal with the crowd as effectively as possible. Sometimes it does not go according to plan.