453

British photojournalist hit by non lethal rounds during Los Angeles protests (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by Stamets@lemmy.world to c/world@lemmy.world

20 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I'd argue this isn't internal US news considering an international reporter was shot. TWO international reporters shot in a single day.

Also...

“People came over to help and got me on the curb. A medic was called, who cut off my clothes. In my leg was what felt like a five centimeter hole with muscle hanging out of it and blood all down my leg. The medic put a tourniquet on it, and a journalist I was with took me to ER.”

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[-] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 193 points 1 week ago

I'll keep repeating this because I think it's important

Wear safety glasses

Not sunglasses, or shades or prescription glasses

Wear actual industrial rated workers safety glasses.

If you get those shots in your face, you're going to lose an eye or both eyes. Safety glasses are designed for this kind of stuff and they actually work. It will stop those projectiles from damaging your eyes.

Cops all over the world are known to purposefully shoot people's faces and heads. After the fact they will just argue that it didn't happen, it was accidental, it was chaotic, it was dangerous, etc, etc .... it won't matter after the fact if you lose an eye or end up completely blind.

Wear safety glasses, they're easy to find and easy to use.

[-] Stamets@lemmy.world 27 points 1 week ago

Really wish I could pin this comment

[-] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 52 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

To add emphasis to this because I really worry about these young people, here's something I wrote in another thread .....

Safety glasses ... any time you join a protest these days ... wear safety glasses ... any kind will do because it will give you a fighting chance at saving your eyesight.

So many protests over the past few years have featured police forces aiming munitions, tear gas and other projectiles at people's faces on purpose. These projectiles won't kill you but if they hit your face can severely wound you or destroy your eyes and blind you.

Wounding people as opposed to killing people is also a psychological tool used by security forces. If they hurt, maim or even cause people to bleed ... then it has a psychological toll on those who see it. An even greater psychological hit for anyone would be to see a healthy strong, vibrant young 20 year old man losing both his eyes and blinded while everyone witnesses it and tries to help. It might only directly hurt one person but the event would psychologically affect dozens or even a hundred people who see it.

One of the saddest stories I ever saw was the story of 20 year old Gustavo Gatica in 2019 who was part of a protest against the government in Chile. Police were actively shooting at protesters' faces on purpose blinding many people in one eye. Gustavo was hit in both eyes and was rendered completely blind.

https://www.amnestyusa.org/gustavo-gatica/

It's one of the saddest and most infuriating images I've seen in a long time ... no matter where you are and you want to join a protest ... wear safety glasses and save your eyes. Police might not try to aim for your face but if they do, they'll just make the excuse that you shouldn't have been there in the first place and blame you for your injuries.

[-] Chainweasel@lemmy.world 20 points 1 week ago

Better yet, safety glasses and a face shield.
Both are required for using a grinder in an industrial setting.
The safely glasses will save your eyes, the face shield will save your teeth and nose.

Something like This should work well, but I'd still wear safety glasses behind it too

[-] MonkeMischief@lemmy.today 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Excellent point.

Furthermore, especially in the U.S, ballistic tactical eyewear is readily available at a ton of surpluses. Civilians have access to protective equipment that they should be taking advantage of.

Paintballers and airsofters wear them all the time because the extra price for real-world protection (edit: as in tactical vs. 'recreational gear') is worthwhile when it comes to your vision and freakishly chaotic ballistics.

Protests are a form of combat. Come dressed for the occasion.

[-] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 week ago

Paintballers and airsofters

Great point ... wear any paintball gear you might have

And if you are targeted for wearing anything ... what would you rather have? Be arrested for wearing gear - or lose your eyesight because you wore no gear.

[-] DashboTreeFrog@discuss.online 103 points 1 week ago

TWO international reporters shot in a single day.

Here I thought the article got the nationality of the reporter wrong only to find out they're just aiming for reporters in general now apparently...

[-] Montagge@lemmy.zip 46 points 1 week ago

They did the same during BLM, why would they be different now?

[-] Stamets@lemmy.world 29 points 1 week ago

I had the same reaction when I read about this dude too. Just "Are you fucking kidding me?"

If this is what they're doing to people with cameras on them and reporters around them.... what are they doing to those who don't?

[-] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 78 points 1 week ago

LESS lethal rounds.

These rounds can still be lethal and people die all the time from "non lethal" rounds.

[-] rayyy@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

They KNOW how to make those rounds, "more lethal", and use that info.

[-] Mirshe@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago

Yeah, the training for these includes "well here's what not to do wink".

[-] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I've worked in construction and building for many years and from time to time I had to get safety training.

Basically, any small object that is moving fast enough is dangerous. It's not so bad if it hits your skin but it is absolutely dangerous if it flies anywhere on your head and face. You can lose eyes, teeth, hearing even have objects fly into your mouth and the soft parts of your throat and mouth. Remember that your face is basically an airbag to protect your skull - your brain doesn't care what happens to your face because if anything damages the face or eyes, it will save the brain - so you might survive a shot to the face but does it really matter if you're blind or maimed in the mouth, nose or ears. In war time, soldiers have been known to blow off the entire face, jaw, nose, eyes and all and still survive.

The world is insane .... we have OSHA standards that regulate what can or can't be done in a work zone to keep people safe from harm and even death

But when it comes to dealing with people in a public protest ... all that safety goes out the window as police are allowed to fire small objects at unsafe speeds into people's bodies and faces! Onto unsuspecting people with no training, knowledge or wherewithal to know that they should at least wear safety glasses.

[-] njm1314@lemmy.world 36 points 1 week ago

Just non-lethal rounds flying around all by themselves apparently. Nobody firing them I guess.

[-] rickdg@lemmy.world 26 points 1 week ago

Ah yes, the Israelian playbook.

[-] RadioFreeArabia@lemmy.world 19 points 1 week ago

No, the Israeli playbook is using live ammunition and accusing the journalists of being members of Hamas

[-] ComradeRachel@lemmy.blahaj.zone 20 points 1 week ago

Less than lethal is the accurate term. A rubber bullet or sandbag can definitely kill you

[-] mic_check_one_two@lemmy.dbzer0.com 40 points 1 week ago

It’s not even less than lethal, because they’re still lethal. They’re “less lethal”, meaning they’re not designed to kill you when used correctly, but are still fully capable of doing so. “Less than lethal” implies that they’re not capable of killing, the same way any positive number is greater than 0; The positive number will never be equal to zero, because it is greater than zero.

[-] ComradeRachel@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 1 week ago

That is a good point. I have especially hated the term non lethal because of exactly what you said. Shame news outlets still use that term

[-] kerrigan778@lemmy.blahaj.zone 16 points 1 week ago

It is not, less lethal is the proper term.

this post was submitted on 09 Jun 2025

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