Ban On Tear Gas, Rubber Bullets Introduced In Harrisburg

HARRISBURG, PA — June 1 marked the one-year anniversary of when protesters and residents were tear gassed on Interstate 676 and West Philadelphia during George Floyd demonstrations.

And on June 2, a state representative proposed banning police in Pennsylvania from using tear gas, pepper balls, mace, and rubber bullets.

State Rep. Chris Rabb (D-200th District), in a memorandum Wednesday, said the law will be aimed at prohibiting those from being used.

Rabb cited the Geneva Protocol in introducing the memorandum.

The protocol prohibits using asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases, and of all analogous liquids, materials or devices in war. The United States ratified its support for the protocol on April 10, 1975.

"Until last year, tear gas hadn’t been used by police in Philadelphia in 35 years," Rabb said in his memorandum. "Debilitating weapons of war have no place being used against civilians."

It's unclear how many in the state legislature support the initiative, however State Rep. Summer Lee (D-35th District) tweeted her support.

Last year, Philadelphia officials banned the use of less than lethal munitions such as tear gas and rubber bullets during protests with a 14-3 vote in response to the protests.

Mayor Jim Kenney and Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw initially stood by the decision to allow the use of tear gas, but later backpedaled and apologized for the incident.

The apologies came after dashboard camera footage from a Pennsylvania State Police vehicle refuted their claims and a New York Times report broke down the situation on the highway.

In addition to her apology, Outlaw declared a moratorium on the use of tear gas for crowd control
She also said the police department is reviewing other weapons — such as pepper spray, bean bags, and other less than lethal weapons — available to SWAT members.

Tear gas, she said, should only be used when dealing with a violent person.