Echoing 2020, Police Use Rubber Bullets Against Protesters in Los Angeles

June 10, 2025
A slide with text over a photo of Los Angeles police in tactical gear. The text reads: "Echoing 2020, Police Use Rubber Bullets Against L.A. Protesters During the 2020 protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd, Թϲ and USA Today documented the harm that rubber bullets and other “less lethal” projectiles can cause. Here’s what we found."
A slide that shows two images of people hurt by rubber bullets. The text reads: "Less lethal" projectiles fired by police can seriously injure people. With terms like “foam,” “sponge,” and “bean bag,” the projectiles may sound harmless. They’re not. Megan Matthews (left), after she was hit in the eye with a sponge-tipped projectile fired by police at a May 2020 protest in Denver. Brandon Saenz (right), in the hospital after being struck in the face by a "sponge round" in Dallas. (MEGAN MATTHEWS; BRANDON SAENZ)"
A slide that shows a photo of police in tactical gear in Los Angeles. Text above the photo reads: "Such “less lethal” weapons are once again being used in Los Angeles, in this case against people protesting the Trump administration’s immigration raids. On Sunday, video footage appeared to show a police officer firing a round that struck a news reporter in the leg while she was on air for the Australian outlet 9News."
A photo of people protesting ICE in Los Angeles. Below the photo, text reads: "Protests erupted last week in the city after Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids at workplaces. David Huerta, a prominent labor leader, was arrested while documenting a raid and faces charges for allegedly conspiring to interfere with a federal officer, according to the Los Angeles Times. President Donald Trump deployed the state’s National Guard to protect ICE agents. California Gov. Gavin Newsom sued over the move, calling it “unlawful, unprecedented.”
A slide that shows a diagram of what rubber bullets look like broken down. The text reads: "What Are Rubber Bullets? Law enforcement calls them “kinetic impact projectiles,” but they are commonly known as “rubber bullets.” They come in many forms, including cylindrical wooden blocks, bullet-shaped plastic missiles tipped with stiff sponge or foam, fabric sacks filled with metal birdshot, and pepper-spray balls, which are about the size of a paintball and contain the active chemical in pepper spray. Some are fired by special launchers with muzzles the diameter of a cardboard toilet-paper roll; others can be fired from shotguns. It isn’t clear which weapons are in use by police in Los Angeles. "
A diagram of a sponge grenade. The text reads: "What Are Sponge Grenades? Sponge grenades, or sponge rounds, are designed to temporarily disable the person and can cause blunt trauma and pain. They are supposed to be fired at the legs or lower torso, and police are trained to avoid the head, neck, and groin. Firing the projectiles from a distance decreases their force and accuracy but increases the risk of shooting people in the face or hitting bystanders. Firing too closely increases the risk of serious injury."
A diagram of pepper spray balls and how they're loaded into a semi-automatic launcher. Text reads: "What Are Pepper-Spray Balls? With a range of up to 30 feet, pepper-spray balls are made of plastic that breaks on impact to release a chemical irritant intended to stun or incapacitate somebody. Pepper-spray balls are typically the same caliber as recreational paintballs. They are typically shot from paintball-style guns powered by compressed air."
A diagram of an officer spraying pepper spray on an unarmed person from 12 feet away. The text reads: "What Is Pepper Spray? Pepper spray is a lachrymatory agent, which means it stimulates the eyes to produce tears. The main active ingredient in pepper spray is an oil known as oleoresin capsicum, the same agent that provides heat in chili peppers."
A diagram of an officer shooting tear gas with a range of 150 feet. Text reads: "What Is Tear Gas? Tear gas is a powder that is heated and mixed with solvent and released from canisters as an aerosol. It doesn’t just irritate but also activates specific pain receptors leading to intense, burning pain in all affected areas. It can cause pain and burning in the eyes, mucous membranes, throat, lungs, and skin."
The final slide shows text over an image of the ongoing ICE protests in Los Angeles. The text reads: "Թϲ reporters can be reached by email at News-Tips@kff.org or via Signal at (415) 519-8778."

    Weapons dubbed “less lethal” are once again being used in Los Angeles, this time against people protesting the Trump administration’s immigration raids. 

    During the 2020 protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd, Թϲ and USA Today documented the harm that rubber bullets and other “less lethal” projectiles can cause. Here’s what we found. 

    This slide presentation first appeared on Թϲ’ Instagram account. If you enjoyed this story from the Թϲ social team, follow us on Instagram . 

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