Assuming you made it through May Day without injuries, Vice UK has a preview of the most common weapons coming soon to a riot near you:
We spoke to buddies of ours in Germany, Egypt and Israel/Palestine to get the lowdown on the weapons that British police may soon be using to pour cold water on your righteous and burning fury.
The backbone in every self-respecting riot control arsenal, tear gas, makes you cry like a baby and stops you from breathing effectively so that you think you’re going to die. Advertised as non-lethal, Sarit Michaeli, spokeswoman from the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem, claims otherwise: “Vulnerable people, like the elderly, children and people with respiratory problems, can be hurt and killed by tear gas.”
[Regarding rubber bullets], “Calling them rubber bullets is quite ridiculous,” says Sarit. “They’re not made of rubber, they’re metal covered with rubber or plastic. If you’re far away enough the bullet won’t penetrate but sometimes the metal core will go through your clothing and skin. The pain is very severe and after, you get an enormous bruise that can scab over – bones can break. On one occasion an Israeli protestor, Limor Goldstein, was hit in the back of the head and it penetrated his skull. They’re not non-lethal.”…
Read More: Vice UK