The LAPD has recently deployed new, 40 mm weapons that fire foam baton rounds.
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The use-of-force guidelines say projectiles such as baton rounds should only be used when a subject physically assaults an officer.
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Bricks, bottles and scores of petrol bombs were hurled, as police fired plastic baton rounds to try to break up crowds of up to 200, who succeeded in setting a police car alight.
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Baton rounds, often called rubber bullets or plastic bullets, are cylinders made of rubber, plastic, wood, or foam, and can be as large as the full bore diameter of the launcher. Smaller baton rounds may be encased in a shell casing or other housing. Baton rounds may fire one long baton, or several shorter batons. Harder or denser baton rounds are intended for skip fire, while softer or less dense batons are intended for direct fire.
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The baton rounds were cylindrical, rubber projectiles. The most popular model, 37-mm M201-Z, has a distinctive ringed barrel.
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Baton rounds are the subject of significant controversy, due to extensive use by British and Israeli forces, resulting in a number of unintended fatalities.
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Fired at a relatively low velocity, the baton rounds are intended to knock rioters down, or momentarily stun them, but not to cause serious injury or death.
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The use of baton rounds dates back to the 1880s, when Hong Kong police used fired sections of broom handle at demonstrators in Singapore. The Hong Kong police developed wooden baton rounds, but they were liable to splinter and cause wounds. Rubber bullets were invented by the British Ministry of Defence for use against rioters in Northern Ireland during The Troubles,New Scientist – 3 February 1983. p.292 and were first used there in 1970.
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Alpha and Bravo Company, both of 8 Platoon, 1 Para, arrived in Majar al-Kabir at 9:25 am on 24 June with the intention of carrying out foot patrols through the town. Before leaving, Lieutenant Ross Kennedy (the Officer in Command (OIC) of the two companies) asked for more baton rounds (plastic bullets) for his baton gun. The request was denied as all the spare rounds were packed away before the Parachute Regiment left the area to return to the UK in seven days time. This left his two patrols (Alpha and Bravo) with only 13 baton rounds.
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Flash-Ball is a registered trademark for a less-lethal hand-held weapon used mainly by law enforcement officers in riot situations as an alternative to lethal firearms, baton rounds, and plastic bullets. It was developed by French hunting firearms manufacturer Verney-Carron.
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Police fired baton rounds at the building's windows to allow access for fire hoses. Hall was last seen at 10:50 After dark, armed police officers climbed through a window and discovered Hall's burnt body. The incident has been described as Britain's longest siege.
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In a 1975 study of injuries in 90 patients injured by rubber bullets, 1 died, 17 suffered permanent disabilities or deformities and 41 required hospital treatment after being fired upon with rubber baton rounds. A review of studies covering multiple different munition types/designs, which covered 1,984 people injured by "kinetic impact projectiles" and found that 53 died, plus 300 permanently disabled. Baton rounds can cause blindness as shown by their use by police in the 2019-2020 Chilean protests. During the first 3-4 months of protests in Chile rubber bullets contributed to have a toll of 427 persons with eye injuries, an extremely high number when comparing to other protests or conflict zones in the world.
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A Chronology of the Conflict - August 1970. Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). Rubber bullets tend to bounce uncontrollably, and have largely been replaced by other types of baton rounds, including plastic bullets, which were invented in 1973 by the British security forces - also for use against demonstrators in Northern Ireland.
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Again, vehicles were set on fire and shops looted. Hundreds of people attempted, unsuccessfully, to set fire to the Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok Police stations. During the course of the evening, 280 rounds of teargas and 218 baton rounds were used. One protester was killed, four injured, and 215 arrests were made.
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The PSNI fired 26 plastic baton rounds and deployed two water cannons. Michael Copeland, an Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) politician, claimed that he and his family members were assaulted by police in Royal Avenue. In total, 56 police officers and two civilians were injured. Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers described the violence as "shameful".
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During the evening, hundreds of loyalists and nationalists (up to 600) clashed with each other and with the police. Shots were also fired at the police and over 100 petrol bombs were thrown. During the riots the police fired a number of the new 'L21 A1' plastic baton rounds for the first time. 39 RUC officers were injured.
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The interface between the loyalist Corcrain Road and republican Obins Drive has been a regular scene of violence in the County Armagh town.DISCHARGE OF BATON ROUNDS AT CORCRAIN ESTATE AND EDGARSTOWN, PORTADOWN Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland. 2001-07-12. Violence broke out here in 2011 after loyalist youths had liaised with each other through social network sites in order to launch the disturbances.Loyalists blamed for Portadown riot UTV News. 2011-07-16.
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Other police forces carry two authorised firearms officers instead of three. A BMW 5 series of the Metropolitan Police. Many forces utilise these as Roads Policing and area car units. Armed police carry various weapons, ranging from semi-automatic carbines like the Heckler & Koch MP5, H&K; G36 and SIG MCX to specialist weapons like the Heckler & Koch PSG1 sniper rifles, baton guns (which fire baton rounds) and Remington pump-action shotguns.
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Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN) Many of those arrested reported that they and their families were assaulted, verbally abused and threatened by the soldiers. There were claims of soldiers smashing their way into houses without warning and firing baton rounds through doors and windows. Many of those arrested also reported being ill-treated during their three-day detention at the holding centres. They complained of being beaten, verbally abused, threatened, harassed by dogs, denied sleep, and starved.
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Prime Minister David Cameron returned early from his Italian holiday and chaired an emergency meeting of COBR, following the third night of violence. In a statement at 11:00, Cameron announced that 16,000 police officers would be deployed in London, with all police leave cancelled. He announced that Parliament would be recalled on 11 August to debate the situation. Over 525 people had been arrested since the start of the disruption, and the Metropolitan Police have announced their intention to use baton rounds against rioters if necessary.
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The May 2002 Belfast riots were riots that occurred in north Belfast, Northern Ireland. On Saturday May 2002, up to 800 people were involved in sectarian clashes beginning shortly after the Scottish Cup Final in which Rangers F.C. beat Celtic F.C. Petrol bombs and fireworks were thrown at Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers. That night 28 police officers and 10 civilians were injured, including two Protestant men who were shot. The PSNI fired 40 plastic baton rounds at rioters, which happened in and around Ardoyne, Crumlin Road and New Lodge.
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Rioting broke out following the 12 July Orange Order parade, when local Orangemen were barred from returning via their traditional route via the Catholic-populated Ardoyne in north Belfast, which ignited protests from loyalists. Trouble also spread to south and east Belfast. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) fired about 20 plastic baton rounds at rioters and used two mobile water cannons. For several hours they dealt with loyalists and nationalists exchanging missiles across the police line, and at one point a group of loyalists used ceremonial swords to attack the police lines.
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Law enforcement teams deployed to control riots often wear body armor and shields, and may use tear gas Riots are typically dealt with by the police, although methods differ from country to country. Tactics and weapons used can include attack dogs, water cannons, plastic bullets, rubber bullets, pepper spray, flexible baton rounds, and snatch squads. Many police forces have dedicated divisions to deal with public order situations. Some examples are the Territorial Support Group (London), Special Patrol Group (London), Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité (France), Mobiele Eenheid (Netherlands), and Arrest units (Germany).
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303 inch Bren light machine gun and Vickers machine gun were replaced by the 7.62mm NATO General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG). The Bermuda Regiment inherited the SLR and the GPMG from its predecessors. For Internal Security use, the Federal Riot Gun being used in Northern Ireland for firing baton rounds and gas canisters was also adopted. The Bermudian reserve forces had been equipped with standard British Army weapons since their restoration in 1895 (although the Sten sub-machine gun had been replaced in the 1960s with the Israeli Uzi instead of the Sterling).
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The AG36 on a Latvian G36KV carbine. As in many modern weapon systems, including the G36 series, extensive use of polymers and high-strength aluminium in the AG36 launcher contributes to its low mass and high durability. It is capable of firing almost all 40×46mm grenade rounds, including plastic training cartridges, flexible baton rounds, CS gas, and oleoresin capsicum (OC, the same chemical used in pepper spray) gas cartridges, white phosphorus, and HE ammunition. With the grenade launcher fitted, when firing 5.56 mm ammunition, the G36 Rifle’s mean point of impact shifts approx.
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The BBC reported that West Midlands > riot police officers were issued with plastic bullets to use against > looters, but that none were fired. Metropolitan Police deputy assistant > commissioner Stephen Kavanagh confirmed that police in London were > considering using baton rounds against rioters, not previously used by > mainland police in public order operations (though they were first approved > for use in England and Wales in 2001). The Metropolitan Police Service has > assigned 450 detectives to hunt for rioters and looters. The list of > photographed looters has been made available on their website.
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'Peace wall' in the Manchester Arndale Centre A number of campaigns were launched, aiming to foster greater civic pride in their cities. Pictured is the CIS Tower, Manchester. Many people called for the government to urge the police to deploy anti-riot methods often used outside Great Britain, such as water cannon and baton rounds (which have been used in Northern Ireland), the use of which has long been resisted by senior police commanders and politicians. Pauline Pearce, a 45-year-old woman from Hackney, was filmed close to the rioting, furiously chastising looters over their criminal behaviour.
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At least one man attempted to pull aside one of the knife rests, but was restrained by a steward as the crowd jeered the soldiers and RUC. Eventually the crowd in front of the barrier began to thin, and youths started to stone the troops, who responded with baton rounds. When the youths used sheets of corrugated iron as shields, the water cannon was brought up to drench them – and at least one television camera crew – with purple-dyed water. A canister of CS gas thrown from the crowd exploded in front of the water cannon, obstructing the vision of its crew, who were not wearing gas masks, so it had to be withdrawn until the gas dispersed.
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Safe operating procedures in the British Army eventually ruled out firing the gun directly at rioters, as it was found that the rounds could cause serious and permanent injuries. In 1993, a constable of the Bermuda Police Service, acting the role of enemy for a rifle company of the Bermuda Regiment, being exercised at Camp Lejeune USMC Base, was seriously injured by a baton round fired from a soldier's FRG, shattering his jaw, which required extensive surgery to reconstruct. Subsequently, orders were given that the weapons were to be fired into the ground ahead of rioters. The baton rounds would deflect upwards into the rioters, but would lose kinetic energy in the process.
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R v Secretary of State for the Home Department, ex parte Northumbria Police Authority [1989] 1 QB 26 was an English administrative law decision that first recognised the prerogative power to do whatever "was necessary to meet either an actual or an apprehended threat to the peace". It concerned the Home Office's decision to maintain a store of CS gas and plastic baton rounds. In 1986, a Home Office circular, 40/1986, authorised the Home Secretary to release this store to a police force without the approval of the Chief Constable if Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary agreed that it was necessary. The Northumbria Police Authority brought a judicial review case against this decision, arguing that it was ultra vires.
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Such was the intensity of the rock throwing and the sheer numbers of locals in the crowd, Bravo took the decision to fire rubber bullets at the ringleaders. Whilst the soldiers were well aware that using rubber bullets could either calm or inflame a situation, they felt that they had no choice given the intensity of the crowd, who were being told via the loudspeakers on the minarets that the British were here to "rape the women [and] attack them!" One of the ringleaders was identified, and a corporal using the baton gun fired and felled the ringleader from away. After two more baton rounds were fired, the crowd surged forward and the Non-commissioned officer (NCO) of Bravo Company (Sgt Gordon Robertson) fired warning shots into the air from his rifle and other troops followed suit.
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Two rounds of Fiocchi 12 gauge rubber buckshot The latter part of the 20th century saw a new role for the riot shotgun, with the advent of a wide variety of less lethal ammunition for police use. These vary from the early "bean bag" shooting flexible baton rounds, rubber bullets and other impact munitions, to tear gas and, released in October 2009, a 12 gauge electroshock weapon from TASER International. Using the shotgun as the delivery system allows the officers to quickly choose a lethal or a less lethal weapon, so responding officers can adapt to changing situations; An officer in a standoff can quickly eject a chambered buckshot cartridge and replace it with a less-lethal cartridge such as a bean bag, and is not required to unload the magazine as with most rifles or handguns. Alternatively, one officer can be equipped with less lethal munitions, while others, equipped with buckshot, can provide a backup in case the less lethal rounds fail to stop the target.
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Nationalist "Network For Unity" claimed, "Republicans were showered with a barrage of bricks, stones, golf balls and bottles," and that women and children were injured as well. However, during the parade, as supporters passed an Orange Hall at Clifton Lane, Nationalists hurled golf balls and bricks at the building. On 3 September 2012 violence flared up again between the PSNI and Loyalist youths when about 100 Loyalists gathered at Denmark Street and about the same number of Nationalists at Antrim Road, both reported to be attacking police lines with petrol bombs, bricks and other missiles. Eyewitnesses report that loyalists hijacked a bus and set fire to it near the scene of the previous nights rioting and that the PSNI have deployed water cannon in an effort to quell the violence Reports say that in the Monday night violence 15 PSNI officers were injured, it has also been reported that the PSNI started to fire baton rounds to quell the violence.
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