Delve into the historical journey of the Riot Act, a powerful law passed in 1714, at the onset of King George Is reign in Britain. This Act came into power in a tumultuous time of societal unrest and aimed to restore order. It laid out that any group of twelve or more citizens, found to be unlawfully, riotously and tumultuously assembled could be read a proclamation that mandated their dispersal within an hour, or face the death penalty. This also applied to those who interfered with the reading of the proclamation or caused damage while rioting. The law enforcement officers were granted immunity from prosecution if they inadvertently injured or killed a rioter. The reading of the proclamation, a step detailed in the Act, was crucial before any action could be taken against the rioters, giving us the phrase to read the riot act. Though repealed in Britain in 1973, a modified version of the Act is still in effect in Canada.
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