The U.S. government are gearing up for potential mass civil unrest across the United States by purchasing military-style riot gear for police departments across the country. According to Sandler Research, the demand for surveillance drones and riot gear to “handle large crowds and demonstrations (protests)” has risen significantly. Patriotrising.com reports: Riot control systems are expected to “generate revenues of over USD 3.5 billion by the end of 2020,” with North America being one of the primary growth areas for upgraded weapons due to “militarization of the police department and other law enforcement agencies” in the aftermath of the 2014 riots in Ferguson, Missouri. Purchases of long-range acoustic devices, whips, batons and armored vehicles that will be used to “disperse, control, and arrest people involved in riots and protests” are also on the increase. “Demand for such equipment is expected to rise during the next few years,” states the report, with authorities in Iran, Egypt, Russia, China, and Thailand also spending increased amounts on riot control equipment in advance of potential social disorder. As we highlighted earlier this week, top insurer Lloyds released a report that warned of a “pandemic” of global civil unrest that could go viral, threatening international stability. [...]