BOSTON (WHDH) - The Boston City Council on Wednesday discussed sweeping changes that could be adopted by the Boston Police Department, including limiting the use of tear gas, after several people reported being injured during recent protests in the city.
During a protest in Boston late last month following the death of George Floyd, 7NEWS camera’s captured video of Boston police officers using tear gas to control crowds of unruly demonstrators.
City Councilor Liz Breadon told 7NEWS that several of her constituents complained to her about injuries they suffered when the gas was deployed.
“Tear gas is banned from the battlefield, yet it was used in our streets,” Breadon said.
During their virtual meeting, councilors discussed limiting the use of what they called “weapons of war” during protests.
“Chemicals and crowd-control weapons like tear gas and pepper spray are powerful sensory irritants, which cause blurred vision…respiratory distress, and dermal pain,” Councilor Ricardo Arroyo said.
The council is also calling for a ban on rubber bullets, chokeholds, and attack dogs.
“It really is about, of course, ensuring our officers are safe, but looking at other ways we can do policing in Boston to ensure our residents aren’t unnecessarily being injured,” Councilor Andrea Campbell said.
Arroyo said the city should learn from a deadly incident in 2004 when a baseball fan was killed by a pepper spray bullet during a riot that followed a playoff game between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.
The council hopes a deputy police superintendent can be appointed to OK the use of such tactics after seeing violent situations unfold firsthand. They would also like officers to make two warnings over a loudspeaker before reacting.
“We expect our officers to deescalate and exhaust all alternatives before using or increasing force,” Campbell added.
Boston police told 7NEWS that they only use tear gas and pepper spray, not any other tactics.
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