Date: Tue, 07 Dec 1999 22:20:04 -0800
From: roger <cephalus-AT-uswest.net>
Subject: Re: stateless in seattle




catkawin wrote:

> Well said indeed, Bart. Apparently, U$ law has not risen to the standard
> applied here: helmets and other protective devices have been outlawed in
> the 80ies already. They call it "passive armour", and you don't want to
> get caught with that at a demo, if you don't want to get booked. I mean,
> where's all the fun of bashing protesters as long as they are well
> protected against various kinds of gas, batons, rubber bullets, and all
> that shit?! According to our law, people also would have committed a
> felony by protecting their faces with bandanas (passive armour) against
> tear gas and pepper spray. You don't really want people masking their
> faces - what's the point in having their photos taken and having them
> videotaped if you can't identify the |$%&$ ?!
>
> Anyways, since the gool old topic of arms has been raised again - what are
> "concussion grenades"? I bin translating stuff re Seattle for the
> federation, and I didn't know what to make of it. Ta.
>
> catkawin
>
> ## CrossPoint v3.11 ##

they did outlaw gas masks after the first day, and i didn't actually see much else
in the way of protective gear.  a concussion grenade, known as a "flash bang" does
just that:  a big flash and a bigger bang.  theoretically there is no shrapnal,
but you don't want to be too close to one.  the best thing that can happen is that
your eardrums are pounded; the worst is a lot worse, maybe a ruptured eardrum.

roger