ring of steel

ring of steel

1. A group of armed guards that encircle someone or something as a means of protection or to prevent escape. Police are planning to protect the family with a ring of steel during tomorrows funeral, following death threats made against them.
2. A system of security cameras set up around the perimeter of a city, usually to capture license plate information of cars passing in or out. The city announced it would be investing a quarter of a million taxpayer dollars into a new ring of steel, meant to cut accidents, catch speeders, and alert police to the location of suspects.
See also: of, ring, steel
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

ring of steel

an encircling armed barrier preventing escape or restricting access.
See also: of, ring, steel
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • surround
  • surround (someone, something, or oneself) with (someone or something)
  • surround with
  • close (in) around (someone or something)
  • close around
  • close in
  • close in on (someone or something)
  • Houdini
  • a Houdini (act)
  • pull a Houdini (act)
References in classic literature
And as he withdrew it from the last position the kaldane rolled lifeless from its stumbling rykor and Turan sprang quickly down the steps to engage the next behind, and then Ghek had drawn Tara upward and a turn in the stairway shut the battling panthan from her view; but still she heard the ring of steel on steel, the clank of accouterments and the shrill whistling of the kaldanes.
As many as 2,000 people had signed up to attend the 3pm protest, but only around 30 turned up despite gardai erecting a ring of steel in the area.
A ring of steel surrounded the Elysee Palace as police stationed trucks and reinforced steel barriers.
Celtic could be without Scott Brown for a month, the SPFL have explained why tickets for Aberdeen v Rangers have the wrong kick-off time printed, and Police Scotland are preparing to form a ring of steel around travelling Spartak Moscow fans.
POLICE will effectively create a ring of steel around Windsor Castle as part of a massive security operation for the royal wedding.
Summary: Security measures, likened to a ring of steel around Windsor Castle, will include heavy metal barriers to deter and prevent terrorist attacks
The ring of steel was put up at a gated entrance between a house and a number of businesses in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, on Thursday.
Cops wrote about the incident on Facebook in a post about Operation Ring of Steel, which saw police stopping drivers in Saltney.
THIS year's 17th Frankfurt Market in Birmingham has been surrounded by a ring of steel and concrete together with armed police.
But there were angry scenes as the procession continued, with police forming a ring of steel outside Parliament.
And there was a security operation unlike anything Wales has ever seen at the Nato summit, during which an imposing metal fence was W put up in Cardiffand Newport (and the M4 between the two) - which soon became known as the "ring of steel".
Ring of Steel: Germany and Austria-Hungary in World War I
An operation to dismantle Cardiff's "Ring of Steel" was completed yesterday with buses returning to their regular routes, schools ready to get back to routine and the huge military presence gone for the start of a new week.
More than 37,000 Russian police and troops are erecting a so-called ring of steel around the Black Sea resort following terrorist threats and suicide bombings that killed 34 people in Volgograd last month.