Report: Seattle police should rethink use of blast balls during protests

Blast balls may not be the best tactic to disperse crowds, according to a report released Thursday.

The Office of Professional Accountability is asking the Seattle Police Department to evaluate how they use the concussion-style grenade, after reviewing complaints by people who said they were injured by them during May Day activities.

Five people alleged excessive force by police due to the balls. They claim they were injured, including one that alleges injuries by being struck on the leg. However, the report says there was no sufficient evidence to link officers to specific injuries.

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The investigation into the May Day tactic found that while effective in getting people to disperse, blast balls were exploding too close to many people; not all of whom were a threat to the public and property, or were even participating in the May Day protest. One Seattle Times reporter was allegedly injured by a blast ball while she covered the protest, for example.

KIRO Radio’s own Josh Kerns says one blew up right next to him as well. He told KIRO Radio’s Tom and Curley that some of the blast balls went over the May Day protesters and landed near people watching from a distance.

“[The Office of Professional Accountability] recommends that SPD review its policy and training with respect to the use of less-lethal projectiles in crowd management situations to reduce the chances of them striking the wrong person or causing serious bodily injury,” the report says.