Peter Jones

The police have learned to treat republican protests the Roman way

[Getty Images] 
issue 24 September 2022

Public dissent, from riots to republicans objecting to homage to the Queen, is dealt with by the police, a force created in 1829. Romans too faced such problems, though many had no qualms about crushing free speech; and it took them some time to get a grip on them.

During the decline of the Roman Republic (c.

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