Avoided by any living thing when it would be directed at or would affect any other living thing. I don't care if you punch your fridge, for instance. I do care if said busted fridge would negatively affect someone else (i.e. someone else having to waste money buying a new one) or you punch something with a pulse. That punch better have a damned good reason, like being aimed at a Nazi. Or a cop. Or a Nazi cop. Oh, who am I kidding, that's pleonastic.

Edit: to further clarify, while I do not agree with the police as an institution, I do think a system of accountability needs to exist, just like in any other game.