In a move that’s got Second Amendment advocates raising eyebrows, U.S. District Judge Consuelo B. Marshall just slapped a restraining order on the LAPD, banning their use of 40mm less-lethal foam projectiles against protesters. This Thursday ruling stems from a lawsuit alleging excessive force during recent demonstrations, where these bouncy but brutal rounds—essentially hard plastic spheres tipped with foam, clocking speeds up to 200 mph—were allegedly fired indiscriminately into crowds. While the order doesn’t touch firearms directly, it’s a stark reminder of how courts are increasingly micromanaging law enforcement’s crowd-control toolkit, potentially leaving officers with fewer options short of drawing lethal sidearms.
For the 2A community, this isn’t just about foam batons; it’s a slippery slope toward defanging police in high-stakes scenarios. Less-lethal munitions like these 40mm rounds have been a go-to since the ’90s, bridging the gap between pepper spray and bullets, and they’ve saved countless lives by de-escalating riots without escalating to gunfire. Judge Marshall’s blanket ban ignores the nuance: these aren’t rubber bullets from the ’80s that shatter bones—they’re engineered for impact with minimal penetration, backed by studies from the NIJ showing injury rates far below traditional ammo. Critics in the pro-2A space see this as judicial overreach, akin to the gun-grabbers’ playbook, where restricting cops’ tools indirectly bolsters the police are trigger-happy narrative that fuels disarmament pushes. If LAPD can’t use foam, do they go hands-off or straight to 9mm? History—from the 1992 LA riots to 2020’s urban chaos—shows hesitation costs lives, both officer and civilian.
The implications ripple outward: expect more lawsuits chipping away at defensive tech, pressuring agencies to stockpile even pricier alternatives like sponge rounds or tasers, all while anti-2A activists cheer from the sidelines. 2A supporters should watch closely—this isn’t protester protection; it’s a test case for broader restrictions on force multipliers that keep real bullets holstered. Rally your reps, curate the facts, and push back: a disarmed police force is a disarmed society, and we’re all one spark away from proving it.
