Having the infantry covering the cavalry worked well in Iraq, where the cavalry was tank crews providing fire support and the dismounted infantry could keep them from getting surrounded and beaten up with Molotov cocktails or worse. Having 'infantry' police covering the cavalry police entirely defeats the purpose of having brought the horses at all. If the guys on foot are pushing protesters around to protect the horses, what were the horses even for?
I'm rarely impressed with police efforts, but this is silly and dangerous to the animals. If you're not going to use them, take them back to the barn where they won't get hurt.
5 comments:
I agree LEO tactics can be a bit amateurish but I have to wonder if the point is providing multiple mobile observation points that are over the head of the crowds, are more maneuverable in an urban area than a vehicle, and potentially intimidating without the optics of deploying riot control vehicles with gun-like armament.
I've wondered about the wisdom of using horses in this way as well. But, Christopher asks an interesting question.
Here's a 1973 manual for mounted police that is interesting, but it has little to say about this. It only says:
"VIII. DEMONSTRATIONS AND CIVIL DISTURBANCES
Whenever the occasion arises where the Horse Mounted Unit is called to assist in crowd control, this unit should work under the direction of the horse mounted supervisor. All men should be equipped with helmets and riot sticks. The horses should be used in formation when moving a crowd and at no time should the horses be cantered into the crowd. The movement of the crowd should be at a walk to allow for the movement of the aged, children and physically handicapped. If the need arises to move the crowd more hurriedly, their those not physically able to move should be permitted to fall behind the lines and be escorted by the footmen following the unit. The riot stick and mace should not be used to disperse the crowd. The riot stick and mace should only be used to effect an arrest or for self protection. When the riot stick or mace is used, the officer should submit a report, as required, concerning the use of defensive equipment. Whenever possible, physical contact will be avoided when moving a crowd."
That's all I could find in a quick search.
Cavalry has a great history. If you're willing to go at it, and the horse trusts you because you're a real horseman, you can turn the world with a stick and a horse.
If not, though, you're riding a big pile of panic that is easily crippled.
I didn't like seeing the horses endangered, either.
There was another clip going around where the horse line was pushing the crowd back, one guy challenged the horses and got beat down and went fetal, and then the crowd threw a serious firework just behind the horses. One of the horses spooked a little and gave that guy a bit of a horse shampoo.
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