They shot ball bearings across a trench dug by the security forces and lobbed petrol bombs and fire crackers at RUC riot squads at the forefront of the security forces defense line. On Thursday night, a nail bomb was thrown at a riot squad injuring three police officers. Live ammunition was also fired at the security forces. Seventy officers have been injured. Human Rights Watch observers note that plastic bullets appear to have been fired in several instances where there was no imminent threat to life or the possibility of grievous bodily injury against the riot squad at the frontline.
Plastic bullets can be deadly.
Less violent measures must always be employed first to quell protest activity that does not pose a serious threat. On July 11, Human Rights Watch interviewed an Orange Order steward and volunteer medic at Drumcree Church. The steward noted that 472 plastic bullets were fired on Friday, July 10. 751 plastic bullets were fired overall between July 4 and 12. The crowd that was here was smaller numbers compared to the previous night.