It could be for intimidation, but it could also be to dissuade trivial intimidation or violence by police. I witnessed a peaceful demonstration in the UK, in w

It could be for intimidation, but it could also be to dissuade trivial intimidation or violence by police. I witnessed a peaceful demonstration in the UK, in which mounted police struck completely non-violent protesters who were sitting on the ground in the head with batons as a way to scare the crowd into moving. That wouldn’t have happened if the protesters had been armed.