History Plastic bullet

1 history

1.1 development
1.2 use in northern ireland
1.3 use elsewhere

history

the plastic bullet developed replacement rubber bullets in united kingdom.

development

the first plastic bullet l5 plastic baton round. developed british security forces use against rioters in northern ireland during troubles. replace rubber bullets, had been used in northern ireland since 1970. rubber bullets meant fired below waist level, reduce risk of lethal injury. however, fired directly @ people close range, resulted in 3 people being killed , many more badly injured. if fired low, rubber bullets ricochet uncontrollably ground. plastic bullet fired directly @ targets. intended projectile of similar effect on target rubber bullet, less risk of ricochet , less risk of serious injury or death.

the first plastic bullet made of pvc, 89 mm (3.5 inches) long , 38 mm (1.5 in) in diameter, , weighed approximately 131 g (4.6 oz). weight similar rubber bullet new projectile had lower muzzle velocity.

use in northern ireland

the plastic bullet first used in 1973 royal ulster constabulary (ruc), northern ireland s police force, , 1975 had replaced rubber bullet. 1973 1981, on 42,600 plastic bullets fired in northern ireland. 2005, 125,000 baton rounds had been fired, of them plastic bullets.

shortly after introduction discovered lethal @ ranges. fourteen people killed plastic bullet impacts; half of them children , 1 catholic community. of deaths allegedly caused british security forces misusing weapon, firing @ close range , @ chest or head level rather targeting below waist. in 2013 however, ministry of defense papers declassified 1977 indicated in 1 case single round fired because lives of soldiers believed in danger, , reason mod not prepared accept soldiers acted wrongly. first person killed plastic bullet impact 10-year-old stephen geddis, died on 30 august 1975, 2 days after being struck in west belfast. 1 of high-profile victims 12-year-old carol ann kelly west belfast, died on 22 may 1981, having been struck plastic bullet fired member of royal fusiliers. in 1982, european parliament called on member states ban use of plastic bullets. however, continued used british security forces in northern ireland. in 1984 united campaign against plastic bullets founded, calling plastic bullets banned in northern ireland. 1 of founders, emma groves, had been permanently blinded in 1971 when british soldier shot in face rubber bullet. during rioting in july 1997, 14-year-old boy struck in head plastic bullet , spent 3 days in coma.

the latest variant of l5 pbr—the l5a7—was introduced in 1994 along new more accurate launcher, hk l104 riot gun. l5 followed l21a1 in 2001. l21 pbr fired rifled weapon gives greater accuracy when used optical sight. l21 replaced attenuating energy projectile in june 2005.

use elsewhere

in 1990, kenyan riot police raided room @ university of nairobi beating students batons. fleeing female student shot in stomach plastic bullet. plastic bullets used against protesters @ protest against globalization in quebec in 2001, 1 individual reportedly underwent emergency tracheotomy after being hit in throat. plastic bullets approved policing in england , wales in june 2001. plastic bullets authorized g8 summit protests in gleneagles, scotland in july 2005. in september 2004, 7 picketing shipbuilders injured in tear-gas , plastic bullet assault in cadiz, spain. foam-tipped plastic bullets employed u.s. marines in trial in iraq war determined ineffectual. plastic bullet used disarm hostage taker armed machete in dorchester, england in november 2002. venezuelan police , soldiers fired plastic bullets @ student protestors in caracas in december 2010. israeli security forces used non-lethal weapons such plastic bullets in eviction of settlers in west bank settlement of havat gilad.