I can't find a picture or any reference, but many years ago didn't a UK, west midlands area Police BO105 get pictured being used as a crowd control measure?

did this happen at all?? The video doesn't show the clear and present danger, if it even existed.

What happens if the police issues an order to disperse the protest?

• Shutting down a protest through a dispersal order must be law enforcement’s last resort. Police may not break up a gathering unless there is a clear and present danger of riot, disorder, interference with traffic, or other immediate threat to public safety.
• If officers issue a dispersal order, they must provide a reasonable opportunity to comply, including sufficient time and a clear, unobstructed exit path.
• Individuals must receive clear and detailed notice of a dispersal order, including how much time they have to disperse, the consequences of failing to disperse, and what clear exit route they can follow, before they may be arrested or charged with any crime.

https://www.aclu.org/know-your-right...esters-rights/

criminal trespassing is a different matter

Protesters will likely now carry a couple chestnuts with about half a meter of fishing line or lock wire - be interesting to see how effective "dusting" people off is when that wraps around the T/R.
New trends in America.......home of the brave.

"Protesters"already do that and more....like Lasers, firework rockets, sling shots with marbles.....and the occasional firearm.....in what the Lefties call mostly peaceful demonstrations.

All the more reason to keep a sensible distance, no?

Like this....for example?

All of a sudden....a bit of dust seems pretty minor.

Maybe that should have been done at the Capital on the 6th of January.

Would you say the same for Portland, Seattle, Kenosha, Milwaukee as well or London?

An observation tool disabled by collecting various low grade bits of conker, marbles, fishing line and string is no longer an observation tool..

There is a reason sensible police aviators keep at 1,000 feet.... it maintains their viability, the high ground. A police helicopter needs space to be viable, on the ground it is the same as a car or truck.

If the police authorities want a fighting machine to do the work of officers on the ground their should mirror the Turkish Polis and buy ATAK or go for an Apache. Beating up your fellow citizens with rotor wash just because they have a view opposed to your own is still beating up citizens. That is supposed to be the preserve of "nasty" nations and not one to be aligned with the land of the free.

There were a few less assault rifles and militia in London. Probably why they didn’t need a helicopter intervention.

On the face of it this vid does demonstrate one thing.

Using the down wash from an A*/Squirrel isn’t effective in dispersing what look like a fairly placid bunch of protesters (they look like they’re just stood on the land - not hunkered down or rioting). This is defo not gonna work on a more motivated bunch of actual peace threatening rioters.

So yeah - bring a Merlin next time fellas.

Better yet - just let them stand there, get real police to deal with the dispute, and save your machine for more suitable activity.

A well laden Chinook or Sea Stallion would be far more effective than a Squirrel.

If you dangled metal cables from the three cargo hooks while hovering in the dust and touched some of the crowd with them even very gently....you would have the World's largest Taser!

Absolutely. Best nip those dissenters in the bud. They might be a threat to democracy.

false equivalencies and whataboutisms…

Not W Mids - I think you're referring to the early days of PAS when one of their Wiltshire crews was censured for excess enthusiasm in dealing with some hunt protesters.

# 36
sounds like Wiltshire crews deserve a big thanks,if not a medal !

Done more often than we think...

Lord above - I was wondering what that tapping noise was - until his Glock appeared in the bottom of frame!
Shooting left handed and riding with the right - strewth!

make him a helicopter pilot - quickly:)