Imagine the worst, most foul thing you have ever smelled. An overpowering mix of rotting meat, old socks that haven't been washed for weeks - topped off with the pungent waft of an open sewer. Imagine being covered in the stuff as it is liberally sprayed from a water cannon. Then imagine not being able to get rid of the stench for at least three days, no matter how often you try to scrub yourself clean. Introducing Israel's new, non-lethal but highly effective and highly offensive weapon: Skunk.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Oct 2, 2008 - 62 comments

Suddenly, you feel like you've been dipped in molten lava. According to Wired, the Active Denial System has been certified for use in Iraq.
posted by alms on Dec 8, 2006 - 100 comments

Scary Sci-fi inspired riot control being discussed in the New Scientist. I did check to see if this had been posted before...
posted by lerrup on Jul 21, 2005 - 29 comments

25 years ago tonight, 11 people died in a horrific crush outside the doors of the Cincinnati Coliseum before a concert by The Who. "Every square foot of that room (the Coliseum’s first aid room) was covered by bodies," recounts then-police lieutenant Dale Menkhaus. Pete Townsend took it hard: "I dealt with it, … by sitting and getting drunk." Lessons were learned, but it happened again. This city’s resulting ban on festival seating was repealed just this year. As Jerry Springer, who was a Cincinnati city councilman at the time of the Who concert tragedy, would say, “Take care of yourselves, and each other.”
posted by tizzie on Dec 3, 2004 - 9 comments

"Alcohol makes fans fight. But cannabis smokers will be shaking hands and singing along together.” Confronted with the dangers of English soccer hooligans, Portugese police have found an incredibly pragmatic way to reduce crowd violence: crack down on booze and encourage the fans to smoke out. It's not some crazy new-fangled idea - it's been used successfully in the Netherlands. How does this reflect on US drug policy? More importantly, how does it reflect on the state of English soccer hooliganism?
posted by rks404 on Jun 10, 2004 - 16 comments

This gladiator looks like he's trying to step up to the red robot for the human crushing title. But, in all seriousness, am I the only one whose first reaction on reading this was: "Oh man, what if they had one of those during the Seattle protests?" It has apparently been in development for some time now, but somehow this version seems a little scarier. [main two content links via boingboing.]
posted by jann on Jul 8, 2003 - 11 comments

Sound to make an army flee A NEW sonic weapon being developed for the Pentagon makes use of one of the most fearsome sounds known to humans: a baby crying. The article also talks about use for crowd control. If I were a club owner, I'd buy one so that everyone clears out expiditiously. Clear them out like cockroaches when the lights come on!
posted by Modem Ovary on Jun 25, 2002 - 14 comments

Go to a football match. Police arrive with tear gas and start a riot. 130 people die. I wonder if the police get some kind of bonus for killing innocent civilians...
posted by timbooker on May 10, 2001 - 16 comments

"I get this strange burning sensation when I riot." The Pentagon wants to produce a crowd-dispersal weapon that sends electromagnetic waves up to 700 yards, making people in its wake feel like their skin has been stuck in a microwave. Supposedly there are no side effects. (The NY Times' coverage has a photo of the device strapped to a Humvee.) One of these could really come in handy on the morning commute.
posted by werty on Mar 2, 2001 - 16 comments

Pain Compliance -- Is it a revolutionary new tool for law enforcement, or legalized torture?
posted by snakey on Jan 4, 2001 - 34 comments