LRAD vs OWS: Sound cannons rolled out for Zuccotti park raid

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Published time: November 15, 2011 12:20
Edited time: November 15, 2011 16:20

Riot police deployed under cover of darkness at 1 am. No video cameras were allowed during the early hours of the raid. News teams were barred from the scene. Air space above Zuccotti park was shut down.

­Above all, a well-prepared removal plan received shock-op back-up as the NYPD rolled out long range acoustic devices (LRADs) on the streets of NY. The device is capable of emitting a tone higher than normal human pain threshold and can permanently damage hearing.

Evidence of LRAD weaponry was captured with cell-phones during the raid against OWS protestors, early morning November 15. This is the first time during the Occupy Wall Street movement that police posed such an extreme threat and begs the question; how long before LRADs are unleashed on the people?

Acoustic weapon (courtesy: http://twitter.com/#!/mik3cap)

­LRADs were developed after the terrorist attack on the USS Cole in 2000 and were meant to serve essentially defensive purposes, as warning devices for American warships. But soon after they were put to the test on civilians. By 2004 the device had already been seen on the streets of New York- aimed at protesters at the Republican Party national convention. However it only threatened and wasn't deployed. This sound cannons are also known to be used in Iraq to disperse crowds.

LRADs were “officially” used for the first time in the United States during the G20 summit in Pittsburgh in 2009. The signal strength was disturbing more than damaging.

In Russia any weapons based on the use of electromagnetic, light, thermal, infra-sonic or ultra-sonic radiations are allowed only for military purposes. In 2001 the Russian government took a step to stand up against mind control technologies.

'To show a gun is not the same as to use a gun' – one may say. But a sonic weapon charged against peaceful protesters in NYC will no doubt be seen inside the OWS movement as another sign of a police state in the US.