[invertigo]

AKA What to do when some tries to shoot your head;
Rubber bullets are not the god-sent alternative to
use of deadly force that I wish they were...This shit hurts

http://www.indmedica.com/journals.ph...action=article

If you have an hour or so of free time, this study is an excellent read. But I know most people don't, so I'll paraphrase

Non-metallic missile injuries are probably the dirtiest-most penetrating injuries due to the nature of the non-metallic substances like rubber, plastic, wood, stone, glass, gravel, card-board etc harboring microbes.

The kinetic energy which a metal foreign body gains after detonation imparts enormous heat to the metal literally sterilizing it but the cavitation that leads to suction of air contaminates the brain. Given this, the speed with which a non-metallic missile hits, covering a large cranial vault surface, shatters the bone with high in-driving energy causing damage to the larger area of the brain that leads to morbidity and mortality.

Plain CT-Scan Brain showing indriven bone fragments within the brain parenchyma caused by a non-metallic missile, a red rubber bullet (>35 long and 14 mm diameter).

April 2003, the Oakland Police department violently cracked down on raucous Iraq war demonstrations.

General Strike 14-N, Spain -woman loses an eye.

(EDIT: New info;This man was a nonviolent protestor at the recent Occupy Oakland event)

Questions have been raised about rubber bullets (non-metallic missiles) of 30 gm weight and 40 mm labeled ‘safe’ when actually it hits and kills.

man killed by rubber bullets fired by police in Cairo, Egypt, January 28th, 2011. Intermittent reports of live shotgun ammunition being used on the crowds started in the late afternoon and was confirmed after dark.

BTW, that advice I mentioned, according to several protester blogs the best thing to do to avoid serious injury by rubber bullets in a protest situation ; "actively avoid becoming a target."

[Rusty666]

[denemarsden]

non violent protester with his face covered up??? seems legit

[FavaBeans]

That one guys injury resembles a giant eye!

[japa102]

[invertigo]

Originally Posted by denemarsden ↗

non violent protester with his face covered up??? seems legit

More legit than this

[Sharon]

Didn't realise they were so damaging

[Spiffyfable]

Yeah that's some tough stuff

[HeadlessHorseman]

Originally Posted by Sharon. ↗

Didn't realise they were so damaging

Very dangerous and so are the tear gas rounds they shoot. The canisters are metal and if they hit you in the head they can kill you. At least one of these guys died.

[invertigo]

Originally Posted by Sharon. ↗

Didn't realise they were so damaging

Leading cause of death by rubber bullets is from infection, but a close range shot can be lethal. They're scary things to be shot at with :(

I'll stick to paintball guns in my free time