[blockmarker]

Fireworks are explosives, and people are hurt by misusing them. Just because they are less harmful than grenades doesn't mean that they are harmless, and throwing them at someone is clearly with the intention of harming them. And well, shooting them with rifles is also clearly intended to harm them.

[piltdownman]

Reducto ad absurdum. Up there with declaring Placards or Air Horns as 'offensive rioting equipment' as people can (and are) hurt through their misuse, and arguing that just because they're less harmless than an ICBM doesn't mean they're harmless.

Fireworks are first and foremost Pyrotechnics - it's only a specific subset of fireworks that contain any sort of 'explosive' element. Short of Simpsons-esque escapades involving cherrybombs and toilets, or m-80s and mailboxes, this use-case simply doesn't exist in real-life. Indeed both cherrybombs and m-80s are federal felonies to possess in the U.S. without an explosives license, alongside anything with 50 milligrams or more of flash powder.

Tannerite sits amongst dozens of other explosives you can buy OTC in the US with a drivers licence - one which generally necessitates shooting at with a rifle to ignite. Plenty of videos on youtube of enthusiasts blowing up a car or similar sized object using it.

[tanseydavid]

How many people get injured each year in the US by Placards or Air Horns? And then answer the same question about fireworks...

[mc32]

The fireworks were a distraction tactic. It wasn’t the main tool in the attempt to main injure and kill. Things went sideways for them; however the intent was there. I think that’s what the issue was. Obviously the feds always go overboard with charges in order that there be a higher likelihood of conviction and long term punishment for the convicted.

[tkel]

All this hypothetical grandstanding is so obnoxious. Have you seen the video? There was just a few fireworks, regular ones purchased from a roadside stand. They went into the air, FAR from the facility. There was no damage. It's called a noise demonstration. The prisoners were watching from inside and cheering in response. Please go outside on the 4th of July while people are setting off fireworks and touch grass.