Gel blasters: experts warn of the risk of serious eye injuries from the toy's use

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These blasters are not classified as toys and, according to Inmetro, should not be used by anyone under the age of 14. When fired, the gel balls can penetrate the eyeball, cause retinal detachment, and even lead to total vision loss, warns the SBO: “furthermore, other impacts include bruises, inflammation, and deep cuts.”

On social media, it is easy to find videos of gel battles in the streets of Rio. These images have gone viral throughout the year. An advertisement for these blasters even claims they encourage kids to get outside and play in the streets.

Their sale exploits a gap in legislation. According to Law 9.437, from 1997, which established the National Weapons System (Sinarm), the sale of replicas that could be mistaken for real firearms is prohibited. This is why airsoft guns must have an orange tip on the barrel.

As it remains unclear whether gel blasters can be considered replicas, the Rio State Legislative Assembly and the City Council will discuss a potential ban on these items early next year.

Last week, prison officer Henry dos Santos Oliveira, 51, was killed in Santa Cruz, West Zone, after witnessing a robbery at a beverage warehouse. He initially drew his pistol on the criminals but put it away, thinking they were armed with a gel blaster. He was then shot by four thieves and died instantly.

Following the murder, the Civil and Military Police seized thousands of gel blasters in Rio. On Christmas Eve, agents confiscated items being sold in downtown Rio. The day before, civil police conducted Operation Safe Christmas in Madureira, North Zone, which also prevented the sale of gel blasters and brought nine individuals to the police station for questioning about the purchase and sale of these items.

The two seizures were based on Law 9.437. In a statement, the Civil Police said that the replicas confiscated in Madureira “were destined for illegal sale,” and they are continuing investigations to identify others involved in the crime.

During the PM operation, teams from the 5th BPM (Praça da Harmonia) observed a street vendor selling toy weapons on Rua dos Andradas in the city center, detained him, and found that the items lacked an invoice, which could indicate smuggling or contraband. After being taken to the police station, he was released, but the weapons were retained.

Last week, the Civil Police clarified that using gel blasters for recreation is not a crime, but any item resembling a firearm, lacking an orange or red tip to distinguish it from a real weapon, could be seized as a replica.

In a note, the Army explained that gel blasters “operate using batteries and are not to be confused with airsoft guns; they do not have destructive power, as the 8mm gel balls are launched distances of 5m to 10m and disintegrate upon impact without causing any damage.”

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According to criminal lawyer Fabio Manoel, the proposed laws make sense in the context of the city for several reasons, one being increased insecurity and use of the blasters by criminal factions.

— In the context of Rio's violence, where there is already a high circulation of firearms, these market items being mistaken for real weapons create even greater insecurity and a bigger public safety issue. So, initially, it makes sense to restrict or even prohibit the circulation of these weapons — said the criminal lawyer.

He noted that judicial interpretations have held that if a weapon does not have "lethal potential" — capable of causing harm or injury — it cannot be classified as a firearm or a real weapon. However, he warns about the lack of security that the circulation of gel blasters brings.

— Imagine someone committing a robbery with a gel blaster. It wouldn't be considered robbery, as the weapon lacks lethal potential. But what is at issue is not just that, but the circulation of such weapons increases insecurity. So, in reality, it is irrelevant whether the weapon has lethal potential or not, because people are already frightened and on edge. They won't think about whether the weapon has lethal potential at that moment — concluded Fabio Manoel.

Marketed as the "toy of the moment" since early December, the replicas have already been banned in the cities of Olinda and Paulista, in Pernambuco.

Sociologist Ignacio Cano, coordinator of the Violence Analysis Laboratory (LAV) at Uerj, agrees that the trend of playing with replicas can endanger people if they are mistaken for real weapons, for example.

— In Rio, the police have already killed people carrying objects like drills and other items mistaken for firearms. In certain areas, this is extremely dangerous, especially at night — said the professor, adding: — A second effect is contributing to the expansion of gun culture, trivializing the use of items that mimic firearms among children and teenagers.

In Rio, videos of gel battles in the streets have gone viral on social media. In a recording from the 12th of this month, two military police officers approached youths in Volta Redonda, in the southern part of the state, who were using gel blasters while "playing at robbery." They were reprimanded. “I know it's play, but someone will eventually get hurt. If a police officer or a criminal doesn't realize it's a toy, the situation could end badly,” said one of the officers.

In the same week, youths carrying gel blasters ran across the lanes of Avenida Brasil, darting between cars. In another video from last week, a group with replicas commandeered a Comlurb truck to use it in a “battle” in Senador Camará, in the West Zone. Regarding these two cases, the PM stated that “there was no call for these incidents” and warned of “the risks of carrying this type of toy in public areas.” “If replicas of firearms are identified, those involved may be taken to the police station,” it added.