1960's Ghana Police riot shield?

[sabrigade]

photo credit to theafricatheynevershowyou.tumblr.com

This photograph depicts the Ghana riot police at disturbances at the Ghana University in 1960.

The shields are made of dried material and seems to be very unique.

I recently purchased a similar example in South Africa.

[sabrigade]

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_05_2012/post-3034-0-63926800-1335861887.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_05_2012/post-3034-0-18771700-1335861906.jpg

The shield in my collection.

[NickLangley]

Widely used by colonial police forces.

Nottingham City Police acquired an illicit stockpile of this type of kit in the aftermath of the 1958 riots. The Home Office would have had kittens.

[sabrigade]

Thanks, any idea where they were made?

[Mervyn Mitton]

Will - I would have thought West Africa must be a possibility. They are skilled in this basket weaving and the

materials grow locally. They are ideal for general crowd control - providing your rioters don't have firearms.

[sabrigade]

_{Thanks Mervyn,}

_{The condition of this specific example is very good so may possibly have been used as an example by the SAP?}

_{It is still amazing to see what can be found in South Africa.}

_Regards,

_Will