Understanding ‘Kettling’ and Your Rights If You’re Contained by Law Enforcement
Protests are nothing new in America—protesting is an American tradition, protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. While protesting is a legally protected and completely valid way to let your feelings be known, that doesn’t stop law enforcement from sometimes trying to stifle protests or dissenters. One issue that has recently gained traction in national news is kettling—and it’s played a major role in protests in the Los Angeles area.
At the Law Offices of Robin D. Perry & Associates, we are passionate about protecting clients’ civil rights and holding the government responsible when they infringe on those rights. Our team of civil rights attorneys can advocate for you and prevent infringements on your rights from hindering your future. Call us at 562-216-2944 to learn more now.
What is Kettling?
While this police tactic is also known as containment or corralling, it is more widely known as kettling—especially when you’re talking about the LA area protests in the summer of 2025. Police use this method to contain a crowd, make them more manageable, and limit their entry and exit points. Lines of police officers surround a crowd and move in, essentially forcing them to stay within a restricted area.
The idea is that kettling is a form of crowd control that can limit the risk of violence or property damage. When violence or property damage has already happened, police often use kettling to slow the flow of people in an area so they can more easily make arrests.
Although this is how kettling plays out in theory, this isn’t how it always works out—and it’s often used with malicious intent. As we saw in Los Angeles during the ICE protests, law enforcement can use kettling to unlawfully detain and arrest people simply exercising their civil rights.
Legal Issues Surrounding Kettling
When kettling is done improperly, it infringes on protesters’ rights. Protesting itself is a protected activity and anything infringing on the right to protest is questionable at best. Police can only kettle a crowd for as long as it takes to deal with violence or the threat of violence. Kettling is a last resort that should only be used when police have no other option to prevent violence and ensure order.
Kettling is meant to be temporary. When people are detained for an indefinite amount of time simply because police officers want to stifle a protest, that is a violation of their rights. Furthermore, kettling a crowd for too long or in too small of an area can put people at risk. People who are vulnerable, distressed, disabled, very old, or very young can suffer bodily harm in a kettle.
How Kettling Can Violate Your Rights
Even when you are in a kettle, your rights remain intact. You are not obligated to answer questions, identify yourself (although there are exceptions), or be subject to video recording if you want to leave the area. However, as recently as Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, police officers were recorded refusing to allow protesters to leave until they provided their name and address.
The issue with kettling is that it treats protesting in and of itself as a violent or illegal act. Yes, some protests can lead to violence, bodily harm, and rioting, but kettling has never been restricted to just those cases. The act of kettling itself can actually drive up the risk of violence and unrest as people begin to fear for their safety and lives at the hands of police officers.
The Use of Kettling in Protests and How It Leads to Further Violations
The ICE protests in Los Angeles were an excellent example of how kettling can make protesting more dangerous, not less. In one video uploaded to social media platform TikTok, police are seen kettling a crowd after issuing a dispersal order. The act of kettling made it impossible for people to obey the dispersal order, and the alleged disobedience gave police free rein to engage in crowd control however they chose. Protesters were subjected to tear gas, pushing from police officers, and police violence.
In other cases reported in the Los Angeles area, people were caught in a kettle well in advance of LA’s 8:00 P.M. curfew. People are seen on video demanding to leave or asking to get through, only to be ignored by the police. Protesters remained kettled by the police until after 8:00 P.M., at which point they were arrested for breaking curfew.
What to Do If Your Rights Were Violated While Protesting
To be clear, this is a clear abuse of police power and an attempt to stifle Americans’ voices as they legally and peacefully protest. To make matters even worse, those who were wrongfully arrested and subjected to police violence now risk having criminal records, so it is their futures that will be affected.
If you were wrongfully detained or suffered violence at the hands of police officers during a protest, it’s time to talk to a civil rights lawyer. While holding the police accountable can be difficult, it can be done. After over 300 protesters were kettled and wrongfully arrested in a Black Lives Matter protest, the city was forced to pay over $20,000 to each protester. Your rights are important and they are worth protecting.
Find Out How We Can Help
At our Long Beach office, we meet with victims of police misconduct and protesters whose rights have been blatantly violated. Let’s talk about your experience and how we can help. Call the Law Offices of Robin D. Perry & Associates at 562-216-2944 or contact us online to set up a consultation.
Attorney Robin D. Perry has been part of the Long Beach Community for over 25 years handling business litigation, employment litigation and advising, criminal defense, personal injury and code enforcement defense for businesses.
