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Sonic Weapons: How “sound cannons” are used for control

Twenty Thousand Hertz

CHAPTER

How L-Rads Can Cause Hearing Loss

An L-Rad is an annoying rhythmic or pulsating tone used by police to break up crowds. It can cause migraines, nausea, vertigo, confusion and permanent hearing loss. In 2009, a professor from the University of Missouri named Karen Piper was at a park in Pittsburgh when she was hit with one. The judge ruled that Pittsburgh PD used excessive force, and awarded her $72,000 in damages. A similar case happened in New York, after being hit with an L-Rad at a protest, six people sued the NYPD.

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