6 Creepy New Weapons the Police and Military Use To Subdue Unarmed People

[Feuer Frei!]

From microwave energy blasters and blinding laser beams to chemical agents and deafening sonic blasters, these weapons are at the cutting edge of crowd control.

The US is at the forefront of an international arms development effort that includes a remarkable assortment of technologies, which look and sound like they belong in a Hollywood science fiction thriller. From microwave energy blasters and blinding laser beams, to chemical agents and deafening sonic blasters, these weapons are at the cutting edge of crowd control.
The Pentagon's approved term for these weapons is "non-lethal" or "less-lethal" and they are intended for use against the unarmed. Designed to control crowds, clear streets, subdue and restrain individuals and secure borders, they are the 21st century's version of the police baton, pepper spray and tear gas. As journalist Ando Arike puts it, "The result is what appears to be the first arms race in which the opponent is the general population."
The demand for non-lethal weapons (NLW) is rooted in the rise of television. In the 1960s and '70s the medium let everyday Americans witness the violent tactics used to suppress the civil rights and anti-war movements.
Today’s rapid advancements in media and telecommunications technologies allow people to record and publicize images and video of undue force more than ever before. Authorities are well aware of how images of violence play out publicly. In 1997, a joint report from the Pentagon and the Justice Department warned:

"A further consideration that affects how the military and law enforcement apply force is the greater presence of members of the media or other civilians who are observing, if not recording, the situation. Even the lawful application of force can be misrepresented to or misunderstood by the public. More than ever, the police and the military must be highly discreet when applying force."

The following are six of the most outrageous "non-lethal" weapons that will define the future of crowd control.

1. The Invisible Pain Ray: The 'Holy Grail of Crowd Control'
2. The Laser Blinding 'Dazzler'
3. The Taser on Steroids
4. Calmative Agents for Riot Control
5. Screaming Microwaves That Pierce the Skull
6. Ear-Splitting Siren

The application of pain to control or coerce people into submission helps achieve the desired aims of perception management, while sheltering the public from the brutality of such devices.
Perhaps these less-lethal tactics for crowd control do result in fewer injuries. But they also severely weaken our capacity to enact political change. Authorities have ever more creative ways to manage dissent, at a time when the need for change by popular demand is vital to the future of our society and the planet.


For a full rundown on these 6, see link below:


SOURCE

[Growler]

Might I suggest a subtitle?

"Crowd Control for when the Bread & Circus no longer works"

[Diopos]

Calmative Agents for Riot Control

Uhmmm ...
How would that work?
You go to a demonstration to protest because you've just lost your job and can't support your family any more, things get a bit rough, the police sprays you with the appropriate chemicals and you return home a "calmer" citizen?



.

[Jimbuna]

Can't see anything there that'll catch on in North Africa or the Middle East....lives appear to come quite cheaply, especially if your anti-dictator.

Looks like they're expecting an especialy large crowd.

Gee, I wonder what is expected to enrage such a large number of people?
Perhaps some kind government official could provide the answer.

[Castout]

The most effective social movement may no longer be a mass demonstration on the streets but a silent mass defiance of the system.

For example when everybody starts refusing to pay their taxes and not afraid of being thrown to jail what can the government do? jailing everyone? When people violate certain law that they disagree with in public and repeat it again and again despite whatever penalties the govt is on the weak side. The point of having law is to have a deterrence effect supposedly for the common good of society but we all know that in many countries the law has been abused to protect dictatorial regime.

Social defiance. If the disagreed law bans public gathering then do exactly that, if the disagreed law bans libel make fun of the law to humiliate the law despite whatever penalty. Don't pay the fine. Do the jail time. Repeat it all the time.

Of course the question is not whether it is possible but whether the cause is worth your time and sacrifice.

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by Castout

The most effective social movement may no longer be a mass demonstration on the streets but a silent mass defiance of the system.

For example when everybody starts refusing to pay their taxes and not afraid of being thrown to jail what can the government do? jailing everyone? When people violate certain law that they disagree with in public and repeat it again and again despite whatever penalties the govt is on the weak side. The point of having law is to have a deterrence effect supposedly for the common good of society but we all know that in many countries the law has been abused to protect dictatorial regime.

Social defiance. If the disagreed law bans public gathering then do exactly that, if the disagreed law bans libel make fun of the law to humiliate the law despite whatever penalty. Don't pay the fine. Do the jail time. Repeat it all the time.

Of course the question is not whether it is possible but whether the cause is worth your time and sacrifice.

I actually have seen small scale examples of what you mention here.When I was a sophomore in high school they decided to enforce a series of rules that dictated how males where to wear shirts.The basic rule was that you had to have your shirt tucked in all the time no matter the style or pattern of it.

At first they where able to effectively enforce the rule however they decided to change the rule so that if you wore a "school pride" shirt you could wear your shirt un-tucked(nice money making scheme)this pissed off the masses and many students began to openly violate the rule.The school then announced that any student would on site receive a referral.With in a few hours they had so many students there where so many students in line that the staff could not handle the work load so the next step was to send everyone to in school suspension that got rapidly over loaded so the next step was to hand out full school suspensions still many violated so they actually announced over the PA system that any student caught violating or that had yet to be processed was going to receive expulsion for a minor violation at this point everyone started wearing shirts un tucked.The staff was now over whelmed and had the Sheriffs office on the phone in this time span some rather upset parents had called and wondering why their kid was getting sent home on suspension for such a minor offense one parent showed up at the school witnessed the staffs plan to law enforcement over a uniform violation issue and that was the death of the tuck in shirts rule.Good thing that the parent was there as it might have actually boiled into a bad situation if cops started cuffing students though it would have been much more exciting might have made national news.

If enough people put minds to it all the gizmos are useless against the wave and some enforcers are going to change sides if they see enough of their fellow countrymen in solidarity.

[Castout]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

If enough people put minds to it all the gizmos are useless against the wave and some enforcers are going to change sides if they see enough of their fellow countrymen in solidarity.

Thanks for sharing that. Enjoyed reading that.

Indeed. Those within the system are also human being.

Originally Posted by Castout

The most effective social movement may no longer be a mass demonstration on the streets but a silent mass defiance of the system.

For example when everybody starts refusing to pay their taxes and not afraid of being thrown to jail what can the government do? jailing everyone? When people violate certain law that they disagree with in public and repeat it again and again despite whatever penalties the govt is on the weak side. The point of having law is to have a deterrence effect supposedly for the common good of society but we all know that in many countries the law has been abused to protect dictatorial regime.

Social defiance. If the disagreed law bans public gathering then do exactly that, if the disagreed law bans libel make fun of the law to humiliate the law despite whatever penalty. Don't pay the fine. Do the jail time. Repeat it all the time.

Of course the question is not whether it is possible but whether the cause is worth your time and sacrifice.

There's a term for it: Peaceful non-compliance.

And you are quite correct, in that it is very effective.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by Growler

Might I suggest a subtitle?

"Crowd Control for when the Bread & Circus no longer works"

* Stupor PopulusQue Americanus


Ah, if only the united states of America spent in the third world a tenth part of what they've already spent messing with that kind of pointless ****... Millions of Somalis would still be alive, for example.

If only the wealthy knew what's important in life.

If only.

[Castout]

Originally Posted by Snestorm

There's a term for it: Peaceful non-compliance.

And you are quite correct, in that it is very effective.

Ah yeah I forgot the term. My English is getting rusty. Thank you for coining the term. Much appreciated.