[{"command":"settings","settings":{"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","suppressDeprecationErrors":true,"ajaxPageState":{"libraries":"eJxLzSvJLKmMT81NSk3RT04sKMnMz9Mpy0wtL9YHk3qJWYkVKAK5-SmlOakAd1UWCw","theme":"hrw_design","theme_token":null},"ajaxTrustedUrl":[],"views":{"ajax_path":"\/views\/ajax","ajaxViews":{"views_dom_id:blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__375487__en":{"view_name":"blog_live_feed","view_display_id":"blog_body_block","view_args":"375487","view_path":"\/blog\/content\/375487","view_base_path":null,"view_dom_id":"blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__375487__en","pager_element":0}}},"csp":{"nonce":"F0F_J-UkZQfgFd56ZxnIQA"},"user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"bc8921424f39d39c64af84232b603fadae46f840a8176c1b2436a5ee00791ac5"}},"merge":true},{"command":"add_css","data":[{"rel":"stylesheet","media":"all","href":"\/sites\/default\/files\/css\/css_ttdgUoxkB-pbINT5dW1cMh3IgYOCVTjCJ6Cp-XWwa0k.css?delta=0\u0026language=en\u0026theme=hrw_design\u0026include=eJxLzi9K1U8pKi1IzNFLzEqs0EnNK8ksqYxPzU1KTdFPTiwoyczP0ynLTC0v1geTern5KaU5qQBrXRXg"}]},{"command":"add_js","selector":"body","data":[{"src":"\/sites\/default\/files\/js\/js_VAWKYxPX4vFoyXs0iEPUrnc99CjyNLIu_pZawjEz9i8.js?scope=footer\u0026delta=0\u0026language=en\u0026theme=hrw_design\u0026include=eJwry0wtL9YvA5F6iVmJFQA22wZe"}]},{"command":"insert","method":"replaceWith","selector":".js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__375487__en","data":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__375487__en\u0022\u003E\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n \u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022blog-block__content__description rich-text pt-6 mb:pt-10 mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EPolice and other law enforcement officers have responded to largely peaceful\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2020\/06\/02\/us-address-structural-racism-underlying-protests\u0022\u003Eprotests\u003C\/a\u003E across the United States with, in many cases, excessive force and other abusive tactics. This week they threatened demonstrators with military helicopters.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n \n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed align-right embedded-entity embedded-entity-type-media embedded-entity-bundle-image embedded-entity-viewmode-embeddable embed--right\u0022 xmlns:xlink=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\u0022\u003E\n \n\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \n \n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\u0022figure figure--expand text-center info \u0022\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__media relative inline-block mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ca href=\u0022\/modal\/53331\u0022 rel=\u0022modal:open\u0022 class=\u0022figure__link\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cimg loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 srcset=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/480w\/public\/media_2020\/06\/202006us_protest_helicopter.jpg?itok=UcTEVM4x 480w, \/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/media_2020\/06\/202006us_protest_helicopter.jpg?itok=T9t2Wa8E 946w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(max-width: 524px) 100px, 500px\u0022 width=\u0022946\u0022 height=\u0022710\u0022 data-responsive-image-style=\u0022embedded_images\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/media_2020\/06\/202006us_protest_helicopter.jpg?itok=T9t2Wa8E\u0022 alt=\u0022A US military UH-72A \u201cLakota\u201d hovers low over protesters on June 1, 2020 in Washington, DC, battering them with its rotor wash and sending debris flying.\u0022\u003E\n\n\n\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__expand absolute block bottom-0 right-0 w-8 h-8 bg-white text-gray-700\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022sr-only\u0022\u003EClick to expand Image\u003C\/span\u003E\n \n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022icon fill-current w-full inline-block\u0022\u003E\n \u003Csvg viewBox=\u00220 0 20 20\u0022 fill=\u0022currentColor\u0022 role=\u0022img\u0022 focusable=\u0022false\u0022 aria-hidden=\u0022true\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022\/themes\/custom\/hrw_design\/dist\/app-drupal\/assets\/spritemap.svg?cacheBuster=250315#sprite-expand\u0022 \/\u003E\n \u003C\/svg\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022figure__info text-left font-serif text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base mx-auto text-gray-700 mt-1\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__caption\u0022\u003EA US military UH-72A \u201cLakota\u201d hovers low over protesters on June 1, 2020 in Washington, DC, battering them with its rotor wash and sending debris flying.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__credit\u0022\u003E\u00a9 2020 Sam Ward\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n \u003C\/figure\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOn June 1 at around 10 p.m. in Washington, DC, a UH-72A \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.army.mil\/article\/137585\/UH_72A_LAKOTA\/\u0022\u003ELakota\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/KannoYoungs\/status\/1267638764056313857?s=20\u0022\u003Ehelicopter\u003C\/a\u003E from the District of Columbia National Guard bearing a Red Cross emblem and at least\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/KannoYoungs\/status\/1267638120389980173\u0022\u003Eone other\u003C\/a\u003E helicopter, a variant of the \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.lockheedmartin.com\/en-us\/products\/sikorsky-black-hawk-helicopter.html\u0022\u003EBlackhawk\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d hovered low above protesters out after a city-wide curfew. The wind beating off the rotors snapped tree branches and sent debris flying.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EA \u201cshow of force\u201d is a common US\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/usacac.army.mil\/sites\/default\/files\/misc\/doctrine\/CDG\/cdg_resources\/manuals\/jps\/jp3_0.pdf\u0022\u003Emilitary\u003C\/a\u003E tactic used to\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/armypubs.army.mil\/epubs\/DR_pubs\/DR_a\/pdf\/web\/atp3_39x33.pdf\u0022\u003Eintimidate\u003C\/a\u003E and scare opponents. But hovering low over protesters and using rotor wash to disperse them is reckless and dangerous. Under these circumstances it was excessive use of force prohibited by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ohchr.org\/en\/professionalinterest\/pages\/useofforceandfirearms.aspx\u0022\u003Einternational human rights law\u003C\/a\u003E. One former US military combat pilot told Human Rights Watch he used a similar tactic to suppress and detain suspected insurgents in Afghanistan. The\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.firehouse.com\/home\/news\/10544672\/helicopter-landing-zones-setup-safety\u0022\u003Ewindspeeds\u003C\/a\u003E created by a low-hovering helicopter can\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.marines.mil\/portals\/1\/MCRP%204-11.3E%20Vol.%20I%20z.pdf\u0022\u003Elift objects\u003C\/a\u003E and cause serious damage, potentially leading to injury or death. These risks are amplified in congested urban environments, where the consequences would be exceptionally dangerous if something were to go wrong.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2020\/06\/05\/reckless-use-us-helicopters-intimidate-protesters\u0022\u003ERead More \u0026gt;\u0026gt;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n\u003C\/div\u003E\n","settings":null},{"command":"insert","method":"prepend","selector":".js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__375487__en","data":"","settings":null}]