Shield, riot shield

This riot shield was used by an officer in the City of London Police's Territorial Support Group deployed in Tottenham during the riots of August 2011. The riots began after the shooting of local resident Mark Duggan by a Metropolitan Police officer. Rioting then broke out in other areas of the capital including Croydon and Brixton, and spread to other parts of the country. The riots resulted in massive destruction of property and looting. A major wave of convictions followed in their wake.

Riot shields are issued to individual police officers and then decommissioned if damaged. This shield was carried by an officer at the front of the police line, and was damaged when struck with a baseball bat. It has also been spattered with paint. The top of the shield is slanted to deflect projectiles. Support group officers are trained for public order policing and are deployed in vans from Wood Street police station in the City of London.