Tasers are a bad idea for quelling riots. Here's why

The idea that tasers would be used during a riot fundamentally misunderstands both the dynamics of civil unrest and the function of tasers, writes Illan Wall 

In a riot, gardaí will often seek to clear participants out of a particular space and to break up crowds. To do this, they use dispersal techniques like baton charges, horse charges, pepper spray, tear gas or water cannon. File photo

There is a dangerous idea circulating that the Gardaí need tasers to deal with rioting crowds. 

The idea is simply that if gardaí had more weapons, they would be better able to defend themselves, and either prevent riots from occurring or stopping them after they had taken hold. The problem is that tasers are a singularly awful tool for public order policing.