How did the phrase “read the riot act” originate?
“Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons being assembled immediately to disperse themselves, and peacefully to depart to their habitations or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the act made … for preventing tumultuous and riotous assemblies.”
Where did this come from?
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English law of 1715
Reading the riot act" used to be a literal event. Bobbies in Britain used to read a prescribed proclamation, known as the Riot Act, before they could break up or arrest a crowd. The Riot Act is used in a fashion similar to the Miranda Rights in the US.
The Bobbies would approach the crowd, read the Riot Act aloud, and then disperse or arrest them.
It was read in Glasgow during the general strike in the 1920's. It's probably also read every night when the pubs shut.