The Dangerous Truth About the ‘Nonlethal’ Weapons Used Against LA Protesters

In a stormy weekend for US domestic politics, police and the National Guard arrested at least 56 people demonstrating in Los Angeles, California. On Friday, June 6, several groups took to the streets to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, which have grown in intensity and number over the past few months. According to CBS News, ICE recorded more than 2,000 arrests per day during Tuesday and Wednesday of the first week of June alone, a considerable increase when compared to the average of 660 that occurred in the first 100 days of Donald Trump's second administration.

The use of the National Guard to address a local situation like the protests in Los Angeles raised alarms from California governor Gavin Newsom, who accused the Trump administration of “creating a crisis.” Meanwhile, other civil society groups condemned the state response against protesters. “President Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to protests against recent ICE raids is deeply alarming,” Amnesty International wrote. “Armed troops have no place in our neighborhoods. This is not about protecting communities, but about suppressing dissent and instilling fear.”

During the scenes, protesters came face-to-face with National Guard and Los Angeles Sheriff's Office police officers. Both bodies were equipped with “nonlethal” weapons to disperse the protests. Among these devices are believed to be the PGL-65 (or P540) or the 37mm or 40mm Sage Deuce Projectile Launcher, “less lethal” ammunition launchers that law enforcement agencies have in their repertoire. Weapons such as those mentioned can launch tear gas grenades with a maximum range of nearly 500 feet. They can also fire kinetic impact grenades (rubber ammunition), “less lethal” fragmentation grenades (rubber balls that scatter when the munition explodes), stun grenades (explosions that cause loud noises and lights to disorient), and paint marker grenades (to mark demonstrators). According to media outlets such as CNN, police in Los Angeles have used stun guns and tear gas to disperse protesters.

Canada prohibits the use of these “nonlethal weapons” for demonstration control. Canada's Firearms Regulations (SOR/2020-96 and SOR/98-462) include the PGL-65, Sage Deuce, and other equivalent models within the category of banned weapons. The statute restricts the use of “Any firearm with a (bore bore) diameter of 20 mm or more” (except those designed exclusively to neutralize explosive devices) under the “regulations establishing certain firearms and other weapons, components and parts of weapons, accessories, cartridge magazines, ammunition and projectiles as prohibited or restricted.”

Although Canada is among the few countries that explicitly prohibit the PGL-65, civil society organizations discourage its use and warn about the potential dangers of this launcher.

The Los Angeles police force also uses another “less lethal” projectile launcher against protesters. WIRED was able to verify that this weapon matches the Defense Technology 40mm Single-Shot Launcher (model 1325 or similar), which in this case is painted green to distinguish its “anti-riot” application. A video from the Australian site 9News shows how one of these police officers shot an Australian journalist with what was reportedly a rubber bullet. This weapon appears in other images that media and citizens have documented during the protests.

Under the Geneva conventions, the “recommendations” for the application of kinetic projectiles (such as the Model 1325) discourage police from aiming at protesters’ faces, as they could result in “skull fractures and brain damage, eye damage (including permanent blindness) and even death.” The use of kinetic projectiles from an elevated area, such as at a protest, can increase the risk of protesters being shot in the head. Targeting the torso can cause damage to vital organs and result in body penetration, especially when fired at close range. The caliber and velocity of the projectile, as well as the material from which they are made, will also influence the seriousness of the injury.

In addition, the Geneva conventions specify the circumstances of possible illegal uses of these weapons and lay down the rules:

• Kinetic projectiles should not be fired in automatic mode.
• Firing multiple projectiles at the same time does not comply with the principles of necessity and proportionality.
• The impact of projectiles should be tested and authorized to ensure that they are accurate enough for a safe area without using excessive energy that could cause injury.
• Kinetic ammunition weapons should not be used to target the face, face or neck.

The vast majority of countries keep confidential the specific name of the models they use to deter protests. Some governments, for example, register purchases under generic designations, such as “40 mm launchers,” without citing the make or model, making accountability and verification of the illegal use of these devices difficult.

For example, in Mexico, the Secretariat of National Defense launched tender LA-007000999-E818-2022 in November 2022 for the purchase of 70,000 long- and short-range 40-mm caliber gas projectiles, along with smoke ammunition and liquid marking, according to El Universal. The specifications do not show brands or models of the launcher or manufacturers.

Only countries, such as Canada, include the makes and models of their “nonlethal” weapons. Similar records do not exist in Mexico or Latin America.

The application of weapons such as the Penn Arms GL-1 or similar, as well as the Defense Technology 1325, is seen in social protests, often documented by Amnesty International, which accuses them of abusive use against peaceful civilians. And, while touted as “less lethal,” they can cause serious injuries and human rights violations. In addition, the organization, in its 2023 report “My Eye Exploded,” demands that the use of 40-mm gas or impact projectiles against peaceful civilians be suspended.

According to an assessment by Chile's National Human Rights Institute, police actions during the protests that began in October 2019 resulted in more than 440 eye injuries, with more than 30 cases of eye loss or eye rupture.

This story was originally published on WIRED en Español and has been translated from Spanish.