Explainer | What are the weapons Hong Kong police use on anti-government protesters, and how dangerous are they?
- Police have used crowd control methods involving tear gas, pepper spray and beanbag rounds in previous protests in the city
- But other weapons – such as pepper balls, sponge grenades or rubber bullets – were used for the first time to disperse crowds during extradition bill protests
As the social unrest over the now-abandoned extradition bill continues to rock Hong Kong, escalating tension has led to violent clashes between anti-government protesters and police.
The force has used a mix of crowd control weapons to disperse people.
Some riot weapons were used in earlier protests while others were introduced for the first time with effects and power little known to the public.
There are no legal provisions that authorise the specific use of non-lethal weapons by law enforcement agents in Hong Kong. According to the Public Order Ordinance, police may consider it necessary or expedient to use such force to disperse crowds, if “[an officer] reasonably believes that the gathering is likely to cause or lead to a breach of peace”.
It also states that police officers shall display warning flags to targeted people before using crowd control methods.
This week’s explainer discusses some of the weapons used by officers and examines their specifications, effectiveness and dangers.
