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Riot Act
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What is the Riot Act and where can I get a copy of it to read to somebody?
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Reading the Riot Act
As read near Durley on 23rd November 1830 by Dr Jones JP:
Dr Jones called for silence, "I command you in His Majesty's name to disperse, and to keep silence while I make proclamation to that effect."
Dr Jones called for silence three times then read the Riot Act. "Our Sovereign Lord the King charges and commands that all persons being assembled immediately do disperse themselves and peaceably do depart to their habitations or their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the Act made in the first year of King George I, for preventing tumultuous and riotous assemblies."
The 1715 Riot Act was an attempt to strengthen the power of the civil authorities when threatened with riotous behaviour. The act made it a serious crime for members of a crowd of twelve or more people to refuse to disperse within an hour of being ordered to do so by a magistrate. One of the problems for magistrates was actually reading the Riot Act during a serious disturbance. For example, after the Peterloo Massacre in Manchester, most of the demonstrators that were convicted claimed that they had not heard the Riot Act being read. The Riot Act was unsuccessful in controlling a series of disturbances including the 1743 Gin Riots, the 1768 St George's Massacre and the 1780 Gordon Riots.
I assumed this is what you were looking for rather then the Pearl Jam album...?
The Riot Act was repealed in 1973 - so whoever you "read it to" will probably laugh! - but for the words it contained in its original form, click here You'd better change the reference to the King to one re the Queen, too.
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