A sponge grenade is a

riot control Riot control measures are used by law enforcement, military, paramilitary or security forces to control, disperse, and arrest people who are involved in a riot, unlawful demonstration or unlawful protest. If a riot is spontaneous and irration ...

weapon, intended to be

non-lethal Non-lethal weapons, also called nonlethal weapons, less-lethal weapons, less-than-lethal weapons, non-deadly weapons, compliance weapons, or pain-inducing weapons are weapons intended to be less likely to kill a living target than conventional ...

, which is fired from a 40 mm grenade launcher to cause confusion, or otherwise temporarily disable its target. As a single blunt force object, it is best used when aimed at a particular individual. The projectile weighs about 28 grams (1 ounce). It is bullet-shaped, with a foam rubber nose and a high-density, plastic projectile body.

Potential for injury or death

Proper use of the weapons involves firing it from a medium distance, and aiming for the legs or lower torso. Firing it too close, or firing it too far away which decreases the ability to accurately aim for the legs or lower torso, can cause serious injury. Improper use of sponge grenades can cause broken bones, head wounds, or permanent damage to eyes. Sponge grenades impacting the upper body or head have killed targeted individuals. Sponge hit

Use around the world

Israel

Israel has deployed sponge grenades against Palestinian protesters on several occasions.

Hong Kong

The

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...

Police Force The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and th ...

has deployed sponge grenades as a riot control tool on several occasions in July 2019 during the anti-extradition protests.

New Zealand

During the fourth week of the

2022 Wellington protests The 2022 Wellington protest was an anti-vaccine, anti-mandate occupation of the grounds of Parliament House and Molesworth Street in Central Wellington during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It began in February 2022 and lasted just over ...

against COVID-19 pandemic control measures, the

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

Police The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...

deployed sponge grenades as one of the many tools used in their effort to clear the parliamentary grounds of rioters.

United States

Sponge grenades were used by some police departments during the

George Floyd Protests The George Floyd protests were a series of protests and civil unrest against police brutality and racism that began in Minneapolis on May 26, 2020, and largely took place during 2020. The civil unrest and protests began as part of internati ...

in the summer of 2020 and were cited as being one of the most common types of less-lethal rounds employed,. In some cases protesters were struck in the head or face by the rounds, causing serious injury.

References

External links

More data and a picture
from the website of the

Federation of American Scientists The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) is an American nonprofit global policy think tank with the stated intent of using science and scientific analysis to attempt to make the world more secure. FAS was founded in 1946 by scientists who wo ...

{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2020 Baton rounds Non-lethal projectiles Paramilitary cartridges