As protesters in Los Angeles clashed with law enforcement this weekend over the Trump administration’s immigration raids, police employed military-style tactics, including using tear gas, flash grenades, and pepper-spray projectiles on demonstrators. In one instance, Lauren Tomasi, a reporter with Australia’s 9News, was shot with a rubber bullet fired by law enforcement during a live broadcast.
Though not explicitly designed to kill, these so-called “less-lethal” weapons can cause serious health effects—and, in some cases, lasting harm. The use of these weapons can result in respiratory problems, head injuries, and even death. In the United States, police force of