Explanation of the “less Lethal” Police Weapon
Over the past few weeks, we have seen countless examples of “less deadly” police weapons being used against protesters, including rubber bullets, bean bag cartridges and sponge grenades. While this toy-sounding weapon is certainly less deadly than traditional bullets, it can still cause injury, permanent deformity, and even death. Given the number of times these weapons have been used against protesters in the past two weeks – and especially given that the battle over the need for police reform continues – it is important to understand what kind of weapon it really is and what kind of injury it can cause.
Rubber bullet
A rubber bullet is a rubber-coated or rubber-coated projectile that can be fired from both standard firearms and special riot control weapons. While they are indeed less lethal than standard bullets, they can still incapacitate, disfigure, and even kill . Research has shown that rubber bullets can fracture and damage nerves, tendons, and internal organs . It is especially dangerous if a rubber bullet hits the eye, spine, or skull.
The instructions for use of rubber bullets state that they should be aimed “against the lower body of an aggressive person when there is a significant risk of immediate serious injury to either a law enforcement official or member of the public,” and that they should never be targeted. in the head or torso. Police are also warned against shooting at the ground, as this can cause the rubber bullet to ricochet.
Police are not required to document the use of rubber bullets and there are no nationally agreed standards for their use, which means we do not know how many people are injured each year.
Beanbag round
A beanbag is a small cloth pad filled with lead pellets designed to be fired with a conventional 12-gauge shotgun. Beanbag projectiles are only intended to target a person’s legs or chest and are not intended to be aimed at the neck or head as this could result in serious injury.
A bean bag hit is very painful and canlead to serious injuries , as was the case recently with two protesters in the Austin area, Brad Levy Ayala and Justin Howell , who were both injured by Austin police from a bean bag. Both Ayala and Howell were hospitalized after being hit, with Ayala to undergo a neurological examination, and Howell was listed in critical condition.
While it is assumed that the police are aiming at the lower limbs to avoid hitting the neck, face, skull or spine, the accuracy of these shots is limited , especially at a distance of more than six meters.
Spongy grenade
A spongy grenade is a bullet-shaped projectile with a foam nose and a high-density plastic body that fires from a grenade launcher. The styrofoam nose is designed to spread the impact of the projectile over a larger area , making it one of the most commonly used types of less lethal projectiles. Even so, sponge grenades can also cause serious injury or death, especially if protesters are injured at close range or in sensitive areas such as the face, skull, spine, or neck. As with other less deadly throwing weapons, police should not aim directly at the face or neck .
Photojournalist Linda Tirado reportedly went blind after being hit in the eye with a rubber bullet while covering a recent protest, although a Minneapolis Police Department spokesman said they only used “40mm foam marking cartridges” against the crowd. Although the police department does not list a specific brand, it appears that Tirado was injured by a sponge grenade. Whether it’s a sponge grenade, a rubber bullet, or something else, the effect is the same; Tirado was forever blind in his injured eye.
The repeated use of less lethal weapons against protesters and the resulting injuries are serious cause for concern. Their use also falls into a gray area when it comes to international law: The United Nations Human Rights Guide to the Use of Less Lethal Weapons in Law Enforcement recommends using rubber bullets only when the police are faced with an “imminent threat” and targeting only lower arms. limbs are recommended. Since there are many images of police using violent methods against peaceful demonstrators on social media , it is clear that these guidelines are not being followed.
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