Previous legislation—passed as a result of public outcry—had all but barred the use of less-lethal weapons such as tear gas and blast balls for Seattle police.

The Seattle City Council passed a bill Tuesday allowing police officers — in limited cases — to use weapons like tear gas, pepper spray and blast balls to control crowd movement during protests.

New rules are now in place on how Seattle police can control crowds with weapons such as blast balls, tear gas and pepper spray following a final vote by city councilmembers on Tuesday.The 6-3 decision by city leaders lays out clear policies for when police may use less lethal weapons.

The Seattle City Council voted to approve legislation that sets ground rules on crowd management for the police department. On Tuesday, the council voted 6-3 in favor of the legislative language that will include amendments that provide additional oversight,