"Explainer: Police crowd control gear used during Hong Kong’s latest protest clashes", 31 Jul 2019

Since June, Hong Kong police have cracked down on anti-extradition bill protests using a variety of crowd control weapons and ammunition – some used for the first time... [O]n June 12, officers fired around 150 tear gas canisters, “several” rounds of rubber bullets, and 20 beanbag shots to clear demonstrators... [P]olice also deployed pepper-spray balls and so-called “sponge grenades.” [N]etizens circulated a photo showing a pile of spent ammunition... Amnesty International has called on authorities around the world to suspend all transfers of less-lethal crowd control equipment... [P]rojectile...called a “sponge grenade” [was used]...  ALS did not respond to...request for comment.. Whilst they are meant to be non-lethal, a 16-year-old was killed in Israel by a sponge round, according to AFP... [P]olice recently switched to... ‘hard rubber’,... one of the stronger types in the series... [M]anufacturer NonLethal Technologies did not respond... Hong Kong police use at least two dispersal methods for tear gas...[A] grenade thrown by hand... according to its UK manufacturer Chemring Defence...[T]he UK suspended export licences for crowd control equipment to Hong Kong... Chemring Defence...did not respond... Police also used launchers to fire CS rounds... The manufacturer noted [the projectile]...could be a fire hazard... With Hong Kong set to see more protests into August, Hong Kong police have been testing water canon vehicles...