Editing Rubber bullet (section)

=== Riot control ===
{{Main|Riot control}}
[[File:9 мм резиновая пуля..jpg|thumb|[[9mm P.A.K.|9mm P.A.]] cartridge with rubber bullet]]
[[File:Rubber coated bullets.jpg|thumb|right|Rubber balls used against protesters in [[Ni'lin]], August 2013]]
[[File: Fiocchi rubber buckshot.jpg|thumb|right|Two shells of Fiocchi 12 gauge rubber buckshot]]
The British [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] developed rubber rounds—the "Round, Anti-Riot, 1.5in Baton"—in 1970 for [[riot control]] purposes in [[Northern Ireland]] during [[The Troubles]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=2UELAQAAIAAJ&q=%22rubber+bullets%22+%22Northern+Ireland%22&dq=%22rubber+bullets%22+%22Northern+Ireland%22 The Technology of political control], Carol Ackroyd, p.210</ref><ref>Hogg (1985) p87</ref> A low power propelling charge gave them a muzzle velocity of about {{convert|60|m/s|ft/s|abbr=on}} and maximum range of about {{convert|100|m|yd|abbr=on}}."The round is generally deployed in low trajectories or skip fired in the general direction (non-target specific) of the intended targets," causing pain but not injury, but is also intended to be direct fired at the discretion of the operator.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.defense-technology.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-DefenseTech-Library/default/dw7847fd32/product-pdfs/40mm%20Stinger%2060%20Cal%20Rubber%20Ball%20Round%206097.pdf |title=40mm Stinger 60 Cal Rubber Ball Round 6097 |access-date=4 June 2020 |archive-date=4 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604042630/https://www.defense-technology.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-DefenseTech-Library/default/dw7847fd32/product-pdfs/40mm%20Stinger%2060%20Cal%20Rubber%20Ball%20Round%206097.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.defense-technology.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-DefenseTech-Library/default/dw0648ec64/product-pdfs/40mm%20Rubber%20Baton%20Round%206064.pdf |title=40mm Rubber Baton Round 6064 |access-date=4 June 2020 |archive-date=4 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604042628/https://www.defense-technology.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-DefenseTech-Library/default/dw0648ec64/product-pdfs/40mm%20Rubber%20Baton%20Round%206064.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>Hogg (1985) p67</ref> From 1970 to 1975, about 55,000 rubber bullets were fired by the British Army in Northern Ireland.<ref name=cainchron/> The bullets were intended to be fired at the legs of rioters or the ground in front of rioters where it would bounce, losing some of its velocity, and then hit the intended target. However, rubber bullets were often fired by security forces directly at people from close range, resulting in a number of individuals being killed or wounded.<ref name=cainchron/> Humans rights campaigner and co-founder of [[United Campaign Against Plastic Bullets]] [[Emma Groves]] was blinded by a rubber bullet in 1971. In 1975, they were replaced by [[plastic bullet]]s. In Northern Ireland over 35 years (1970–2005), about 125,000 rubber and plastic bullets were fired—an average of ten per day—causing 17 deaths.<ref>{{cite web |first=Anthony G |last=Williams |url=http://www.quarryhs.co.uk/baton.htm |title=Less-lethal ammunition |quote=an amended version of an article which first appeared in Jane's Police Products Review, October/November 2007, and includes information from British 37mm Baton Rounds, which appeared in Small Arms Review in August 2008 }}</ref>

The baton round was made available to British police forces outside Northern Ireland from 2001. In 2013 however, [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] papers declassified from 1977 revealed it was aware rubber bullets were more dangerous than was publicly disclosed. The documents contained legal advice for the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|MoD]] to seek a settlement over a child who had been blinded in 1972, rather than go to court which would expose problems with the bullets and make it harder to fight future related cases. The papers stated that further tests would reveal serious problems with the bullets, including that they were tested "in a shorter time than was ideal", that they "could be lethal" and that they "could and did cause serious injuries".<ref name=" BBC">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-22848421 |title=Rubber bullets: Army kept real dangers in NI hidden |website=BBC |date=11 June 2013 |access-date=12 June 2013}}</ref>

[[Israel]]i rubber bullets are produced in two main types. The older type, the standard rubber bullet, is a steel sphere coated in a thin layer of rubber, weighing 14 grams, while the newly improved rubber bullet, introduced in 1989, is a rubber-coated metal cylinder 1.7&nbsp;cm in diameter, weighing 15.4{{nbsp}}grams.<ref name=eye>{{cite journal |publisher=Nature |title=Ocular rubber bullet injuries |author=T. Lavy, S. Abu Asleh |year=2003 |volume=17 |pages=821–824| doi= 10.1038/sj.eye.6700447 |journal=Eye |pmid=14528243 |issue=7|doi-access=free }}</ref>  Of the lethal injuries from this projectile, most are suffered to the head.<ref name=eye/>

Smaller rubber bullets are used in [[riot shotgun]]s and are available in a variety of types.  One company, for example, makes both rubber buckshot rounds, containing fifteen 8.3mm diameter rubber balls per cartridge, and rubber baton rounds, containing a single 4.75 gram projectile.<ref name=janes_fiocchi>{{cite journal |url=http://www.janes.com/articles/Janes-Police-and-Homeland-Security-Equipment/Fiocchi-Munizioni-12-gauge-riot-control-ammunition-Italy.html |title=Fiocchi Munizioni 12 gauge riot control ammunition (Italy), RIOT CONTROL EQUIPMENT |journal=Jane's Police and Homeland Security Equipment |year=2005 |publisher=Jane's Information Group}}</ref>
[[File:Rubber bullet injury.webm|thumb|Head injury from rubber bullet shot at a Palestinian demonstrator in Kafr Qaddum, West Bank, by IDF]]
[[File:Soldier shooting robber bullet at protestors an Kafr Qaddum.jpg|thumb|Soldier shooting rubber bullet at protestors an Kafr Qaddum, September 2023]]
[[Israeli security forces]] used less-lethal weapons including rubber bullets in an operation on 28 February 2011 to demolish illegal structures in the [[West Bank]] settlement of [[Havat Gilad]].<ref name=settlers>{{cite news|title=Settlers: 15 injured in Havat Gilad|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4035338,00.html|access-date=28 February 2011|author=Yair Altman|newspaper=Ynetnews|year=2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/rightists-launch-day-of-rage-over-west-bank-outpost-demolition-1.346849| title=Israeli security forces defend use of rubber bullets during West Bank outpost demolition. Security forces returned to the Havat Gilad outpost in the West Bank to demolish three structures; thirteen people were injured in ensuing clashes with police.
| author = Chaim Levinson| publisher=Haaretz| date=March 1, 2011| access-date=2011-03-04}}</ref>