1. plural of kettling; the practice of surrounding and confining a crowd or group of people (especially protesters) by police or security forces to prevent them from dispersing or leaving an area.
Usage: informal; chiefly British; protest/law enforcement context

Examples

• Police kettlings of demonstrators have become controversial in major cities.
• The kettlings lasted for several hours, trapping protesters in the square.
• Activists criticized the kettlings as a violation of freedom of movement.
• During the protest, multiple kettlings were used to control the crowd.
• The kettlings prevented people from leaving the area peacefully.