The best is when they use flimsy arguments about needing to "make an example" or "discourage this behavior" or "create a deterrent", as if people in these situations are even aware they're doing anything wrong.
Does this excuse even fly? I mean, do you actually believe that a guy who is a self-described "science nerd" with enough interest in chemistry to sought to get a sample of each element of the periodic table would somehow skip any and all references on how the element is subjected to nuclear proliferation restrictions?
It was a small quantity. For comparison Trinity had 6 kg of plutonium.
[1] As we know, both efforts failed.
If they are in possession of it, yes they should.
Here's a refreshment of what harm these morons can cause ti society.
To me it seems like that's strictly less likely to cause a Goiânia incident than when it was just in an old smoke detector that could've potentially be thrown out without consideration.
The Goiania accident was caused by government imposition, stopping the owners from moving it from the abandoned clinic before it was looted. The government was the moron there, just as the government is the moron in this story. So a good example, but not in the way you thought, as it shows government intervention with nuclear materials leading to needless tragedy.
Maybe that's just the public explanation.
Politicians and the police staged an air field adjacent test firing for media that carried risks that caused restricted, and warning notices to be issued for the air space.
A Department of Defence spokeswoman said the activity was supported by Defence.
“For safety, Air Force used a notice to airmen and provided air traffic control for a period of time in the vicinity of the area,” she said.
“At no time were RAAF Base Pearce’s flying operations impacted. The activity was coordinated between WA Police and Defence in accordance with standard procedures.”
National Shooting Council vice president told News Corp the demonstration was an “orchestrated media event to create fear in the community ... they were clearly told it was too risky but they went ahead anyway”.
“There was a very, very high risk of ricochets and therefore injury to members of the public, press and police attending because of the type of targets they were shooting at … they were very lucky to get away with it with no-one being injured, killed or worse for this little sh.t show,” he said.
^^ NOTICE: this is from two years past in 2023 .. The Western Australian newspaper website has wrapped this with a masthead with todays date (2025). If you search on the story there are several links from 2023 referencing this .. I cannot fathom why The West has done this to date other than it's a rag with a monopoly in a small state and they can't be arsed to do a good job here.
“At no time were RAAF Base Pearce’s flying operations impacted.
I'd go further and guess that had the base been required for anything (sudden emergancy landing, etc) the media event would have been shut down and pushed away.
None of which supports the hyperbolic aspects of the original GP claim above.