Police's Latest Horrifying Anti-Protest Weapon

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http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/polices-latest-horrifying-anti-protest-weapon

Peter Callahan was caught between two police lines in the West Florissant section of Ferguson, Mo., on Sunday night, when something fiery hot singed his leg. A nearby protester’s shirt briefly caught fire.

Callahan, a Washington D.C.-based journalist, deduced that he had been hit by a flash-bang device. “I was also at Occupy Wall Street,” he said. “This is a lot worse.”

Among the debris protesters and journalists have picked up in the days since Michael Brown was killed are canisters of the 7290 flash-bang made by Combined Tactical Systems, a “less lethal” diversionary device that has made its way into law enforcement agencies’ toolkits to carry out search warrants, and less frequently, to disperse crowds.

Flash-bang devices are one of many military-style weapons being used in Ferguson, along with tear gas and beanbag munitions. While marketed as non-lethal, there have been instances in which flash-bangs have caused serious injury and sometimes death when used by police, prompting debate over their proper use.