Washington state judge on June 12 banned police in Seattle from using tear gas and pepper spray to protesters.

Judge Richard A. Jones argued that police used too much tear gas and pepper spray on the majority of peaceful protesters, seeking to suppress the wave of protests after the death of George Floyd.

"Protests erupting between pandemics and the use of tear gas or pepper spray can increase the risk of spreading the disease," Judge Jones said.

Hot pepper spray causes people who are sick to cough and scream, which will cause water droplets from the nCoV infected person's mouth to shoot around, making the virus more likely to spread to others, the Los Angeles Times said on June 5.

Under Judge Jones' ban, Seattle police are also not allowed to use stun grenades and grenade-like explosive items used to clear crowds.

In court documents, the "Black Network is important" in Seattle-King County argued that these weapons would cause panic protesters to flee.

They also quoted congressmen and health officials, warning that the chemicals used by police would cause protesters to cough and respiratory infections, thereby increasing the likelihood of infection.

Seattle officials believe police can use force by some protesters who have "attacked civilians and police, as well as robbed and burned property".

Protests erupted across the United States after the death of Floyd, a 46-year-old black man in Minneapolis, Minnesota, protesting police violence and demanding equality for blacks.