The early use of Riot Shields

Often used by protestors, riot shields are lightweight protection devices used by police and military organizations. The riot shield is designed to protect against non-lethal attacks instead of the ballistic shield used against lethal and more severe attacks.

The length of a riot shield is long enough to cover a person of average size from head to knees. These shields generally protect the user from attacks with blunt objects and projectiles in riot control. In addition, it protects non-lethal weapons such as rubber bullets and water cannons. Also, it is used as a short-range melee weapon to push back enemy forces. In most cases, riot shields don’t offer ballistic protection; ballistic shields are used when heavy resistance is expected. Although, ballistic shields have also been used for riot control.

During the 1976 Notting Hill Carnival riot, officers were injured by stones, bricks, and bottles thrown at them. The Police Federation of England and Wales began the process of introducing riot shields. In Northern Ireland and mainland Europe, riot shields were already standard equipment. When the Cyprus Emergency broke out in the 1950s, British forces deployed them. During the May 1968 riots, French police used them. In Northern Ireland, British forces had used them since 1969. The first-time soldiers used riot shields in England was during the 1977 Battle of Lewisham. Officers intentionally struck a large number of protesters with shields. It became increasingly difficult to obtain riot shields when rioting broke out in the Republic of Ireland in the 1960s and 1970s.

In response to a protest at Curragh, army personnel used bayonets instead of the riot shields. A riot shield factory was established in Dublin in 1972 to address this general lack and shortage. This started the mass production of Riot shields.

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