Federal judge strips LAPD of key crowd control weapons after officers violated court orders by firing projectiles at protesters’ heads and groins during immigration enforcement demonstrations.
Story Snapshot
- Judge bans LAPD’s 40mm launchers from protests after contempt ruling over illegal weapon use
- 86 excessive force complaints filed, including 59 cases and 3 hospitalizations from summer 2025 protests
- LAPD violated 2021 federal injunction requiring warnings and targeting only violent threats
- Ban affects crowd control only, daily operations still permitted under court ruling
Court Finds LAPD in Contempt Over Weapon Violations
U.S. District Judge Consuelo B. Marshall ruled Wednesday that LAPD violated a 2021 federal injunction by deploying 40-millimeter projectile launchers during summer 2025 protests against Trump administration immigration enforcement. The weapons fire foam projectiles at over 200 mph, causing severe injuries when officers targeted protesters’ heads and groins without issuing warnings. Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles filed the contempt motion after documenting pattern violations of existing court restrictions on less-lethal weapons.
Pattern of Excessive Force During Immigration Protests
LAPD officers used the green-handled launchers to disperse crowds during protests over federal immigration raids, despite court orders mandating their use only against violent resistors posing immediate threats. The violations mirror tactics from 2020 George Floyd protests that originally prompted the federal injunction. Eighty-six complaints are under investigation, with documented cases of close-range head shots on fleeing protesters and attacks without proper warnings required under the 2021 court order.
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City Council Defied Reform Efforts Before Ruling
The L.A. City Council voted 8-4 in December 2025 to retain 40mm foam launchers and tear gas during their AB 481 review process, rejecting calls from reform advocates to ban the weapons. Chief Jim McDonnell defended the projectiles as essential de-escalation tools, claiming their removal would increase liability and officer risk. However, the federal court’s contempt finding overrides local political decisions, forcing immediate compliance with the weapon ban during crowd control situations.
LAPD issued a department-wide memo stating “EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY the 40mm SHALL NOT be used during any CROWD CONTROL situation,” directing officers to contact risk management and legal divisions with questions. The ruling specifically targets protest scenarios while preserving the weapons for daily operations where court restrictions don’t apply. The City Attorney’s office announced plans to review the order, though previous appeals of similar rulings have failed.
LAPD rulebook shows when cops can — and can’t — fire ‘non-lethal’ weapons https://t.co/M4UydVomPb pic.twitter.com/I2HvUg3fl0
— New York Post (@nypost) January 18, 2026
Financial and Operational Consequences Mount
Los Angeles faced over $50 million in LAPD civil rights payouts during 2024, with attorney Carol Sobel warning the department risks bankrupting the city by repeatedly ignoring federal law. The 86 pending investigations from summer 2025 protests could generate additional substantial settlements, particularly given documented head shots on protesters. This pattern of violations undermines LAPD’s credibility while creating fiscal strain for taxpayers who ultimately fund misconduct settlements stemming from officers’ failure to follow established legal boundaries.
Sources:
Federal judge bars LAPD use of some ‘less-lethal’ weapons at protests
Los Angeles City Council Vote on LAPD Military Weapons
LAPD barred from using rubber bullets during protests
