1. a police tactic in which a crowd of protesters is surrounded and contained in a limited area to prevent dispersal
Usage: chiefly British; law enforcement

1. present participle of kettle; to surround and contain (a crowd) in a limited area, especially by police
Usage: chiefly British; law enforcement
2. present participle of kettle; to cook or heat in a kettle
Usage: informal; rare

Examples

• Police used kettling to manage the large protest crowd.
• The kettling of demonstrators lasted several hours.
• Activists criticized the police for kettling protesters without providing water or exits.
• The tactic of kettling has become controversial in crowd control debates.
• Officers were kettling the group to prevent them from moving through the city center.