Water Cannon Planned for APEC Protestors

Police in Australia aren't taking chances when it comes to protests expected at next month's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Sydney; they've already unveiled plans to employ a water cannon that can shoot water up to 50 meters. According to one press report:

IT SOUNDED a bit like a Dalek, but instead of "Exterminate, exterminate", the voice emanating from the truck said: "Warning, warning, if you do not disperse, the water cannon will be fired on you.

"Warning, warning, warning, water cannon will be fired. Commence, commence, commence."

The black truck with a fire hose on top made heavy work of it but eventually managed to knock over 120-kilogram pylons for the television cameras.

Yesterday, 18 months after Morris Iemma announced that the State Government would buy a $700,000 water cannon for the riot squad in what was widely depicted as a stunt in the wake of the Cronulla riots, the Premier unveiled it yesterday with a demonstration at Homebush Bay.

Authorities there also aren't soft-peddling the potential dangers of being hit by the water cannon:

The Premier admitted the cannon could cause "serious injury" and said he hoped people who were considering "riotous behaviour" took notice of this.

"I hope that we'll never have to use a piece of equipment like this … but if the situation arises, if there are going to be people who take the law into their own hands with riotous behaviour on our streets, then this is a good weapon to have to restore order and control," he said.

"It's part of a repertoire that could be used for APEC, [but] it's not APEC-specific."

That's a lot of hype for one weapon. Maybe they should check out Russia's hand-held water gun.

**