GLI-F4 grenade

The GLI-F4 instant tear gas grenade (or SAE 810 instant tear gas grenade) is an explosive tear gas grenade, manufactured by the company Alsetex.

The GLI-F4 has been used in France for law enforcement since 2011. It has caused several cases of mutilation.[1]

On 26 January 2020 the French interior minister, Christophe Castaner, announced the withdrawal of GLI-F4 grenades; their replacement, called GM2L grenade, does not contain TNT, but critics such as the Human Rights League argue that it is not clear that these new grenades are much safer as they function in a similar way.[2][3] The announcement was also criticized as an empty gesture since at the time of the announcement GLI-F4 grenades were no longer in production and they were already in the process of being phased out.[2]

History

The GLI-F4 was first authorized alongside the OF-F1 grenade in French law enforcement operation, following Decree 2011–795 on June 30, 2011.[4] It has completely replaced the OF-F1 grenade, which was first suspended after the death of Rémi Fraisse when used during the October 2014 Sivens Dam demonstrations. The OF-F1 was then forbidden by Decree 2017–1029, on 10 May 2017.[5]

GLI-F4 grenades are classified as weapons of war in the French Internal Security Code.[6]

Contents

The GLI-F4's tear gas consists of 10 g (0.35 oz) of CS gas. The explosive charge consists of 26 g (0.92 oz) of TNT and 4 g (0.14 oz) of hexocire (a mixture of RDX and wax).[7]

Usage

France is the only European country that uses explosive ammo for law enforcement.[8] This grenade has been used in France for policing operations since 2011.

Three thousand grenades of this type, some of which expired, were used on the Notre-Dame-des-Landes Zone to Defend in April 2018.[9]

References
  1. "Un "gilet jaune", victime d'une grenade, a eu la main arrachée". www.lesinrocks.com. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  2. Breeden, Aurelien (2020-01-27). "France to Stop Using TNT-Loaded Tear Gas Grenades". The New York Times.
  3. Joubioux, Nathan (2020-01-27). "La grenade controversée GLI-F4 est désormais interdite en France, un coup de com ?". euronews (in French). Retrieved 2020-01-29.
  4. "Decree No. 2011-795 of 30 June 2011 on firearms that may be used for the maintenance of public order". Legifrance.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  5. "Décret n° 2017-1029 du 10 mai 2017 modifiant l'article D. 211-17 du code de la sécurité intérieure - Legifrance". Legifrance.gouv.fr.
  6. Celine Rastello, "N'est-ce pas inquiétant qu'un gouvernement utilise des armes de guerre contre la population ?", L'Obs, February 14, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  7. Ismaël Halissat, "Grenade GLI-F4 : révélations sur une arme qui mutile", Libération.fr, January 25, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  8. (Daillère & Linglet 2016, p. 48,49)
  9. "Les gendarmes ont déversé une quantité record de grenades sur la Zad de Notre-Dame-des-Landes". Reporterre.net. Retrieved 4 January 2019.

Works cited
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