A comprehensive resource for safe and responsible laser use

US: Minnesota woman arrested at protest for aiming laser into police officer's eyes

A teenager was arrested on November 4 2020 for aiming a laser directly into a Minneapolis officer's eyes during an anti-Trump protest that took place on Interstate 94.

The officer was wearing safety glasses and was not harmed.

A laser pointer was found on 19-year-old Amina T. Mussa McCaskill. She admitted aiming at the officer.

Amina T. Mussa McCaskill laser squashed
Amina T. Mussa McCaskill

She was charged on November 6 with one count of felony second-degree riot.

More than 600 people were arrested after protesters blocked the Interstate highway.

From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune

US: Laser aimed at officers during St. Paul protests

St. Paul, Minnesota police tweeted on July 9 2016 “Person with laser sight pointing it at officers.” This occurred during widespread protests in over a dozen U.S. cities, after two black men were killed by officers on July 5 and 6. (The most violent reaction occurred in Dallas on July 7 when a black Army reservist killed five officers, injured eight more, and injured two spectators.)

On July 9 in Philadelphia, CBSPhilly reported that a person was arrested for aiming a laser at a police helicopter after the protest. WHYY Newsworks said that a man was “briefly detained by officers after he used a powerful flashlight to point at the helicopter overhead. Because no illegal laser-pointers were used, he was sent away with a citation for disorderly conduct….” It is not known if these two reports referred to the same incident.

A Google search as of July 11 did not turn up any additional instances where lasers were used in or around protests.