Business Insider | As the events that led to Oakland protester Scott Olsen's head injury continue to unfold and investigations begin, we thought it important to offer some perspective.
This comment is from a former Marine with special operations in crowd control.
He points out that shooting canisters such as those that likely hit Scott Olsen is prohibited under rules of engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan. Regardless of any political position on the Occupy protests, these are some Interesting insights:
Before gas goes into a crowd shield bearers have to be making no progress moving a crowd or crowd must be assaulting the line. Not with sticks and stones but a no bullshit assault. 3 warnings must be given to the crowd in a manner they can hear that force is about to be used. Shield bearers take a knee and CS gas is released in grenade form first to fog out your lines because you have gas masks. You then kick the canisters along in front of your lines. Projectile gas is not used except for longer ranged engagement or trying to steer the crowd ( by steering a crowd I mean firing gas to block a street off ). You also have shotguns with beanbags and various less than lethal rounds for your launchers. These are the rules for a WARZONE!!
How did a cop who is supposed to have training on his weapon system accidentally SHOOT someone in the head with a 40mm gas canister? Simple. He was aiming at him.
I'll be the first to admit a 40mm round is tricky to aim if you are inexperienced but anyone can tell the difference between aiming at head level and going for range.
The person that pulled that trigger has no business being a cop. He sent that round out with the intention of doing some serious damage to the protestors. I don't care what the protestors were doing. I never broke my rules of engagement in Iraq or Afghanistan. So I can't imagine what a protester in the states did to deserve a headshot with a 40mm. He's damn lucky to be alive and that cop knows he was using lethal force against a protester he is supposed to be protecting.
Additionally: Jesse Davis mentions "The methods prohibited in war, and actions after the fact are also against war zone policy." Check out his infographic here.
Specifically these two transcribed directly from US Army Law of War/Law of Armed Conflict training.
The Military manual states:
…have a duty to collect and care for the wounded. Prioritize treatment according to injuries. Make NO treatment distinction based on nationality. All soldiers, enemy or friendly, must be treated the same.
Second, the officer threw a flash-bang directly into a group of people trying to carry him away for medical treatment. Here's the Military guidance on that decision: Medical Personnel Considered out of combat if they exclusively engaged in medical duties. (GWS, art. 24.) Doctors, surgeons, nurses, chemists, stretcher-bearers, medics, corpsman, and orderlies, etc..., who are “exclusively engaged” in the direct care of the wounded and sick.
6 comments:
Shot to kill boy, you hear me. All ways a few well trained, trooper. Why Oakland has history, ugly mofo events written in history,The Port. They keeping close watch on us Afros, no riots needed, getting cold though. It is the range of solo, or group violence that I find interesting. And the women are doing.it , maybe it is just the nano-second info. Kill a child and look like, What?
Listening to MingusWork Song
I have gotten that impression from a lot of cops. Just being stopped for speeding or something. It is like some of them want you to do something just so they have an excuse to use violence. I bet that is why a lot of them apply for the job.
FYI - those are military grade grenade launchers, the same kind that Scarface used in his ending scene when he blast down the door.
that range-finding assemblage behind the basic iron sight is kind-of-a dead give away...,
BD is not worried about being injured or killed by the cops. Why do you suppose that is...??
um..., cause at nearly all times BD can be found at home, comfortably ensconced in a fresh Depend in his lazyboy recliner in front of a Fox News broadcast?
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