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markpkessinger

(8,381 posts)
Wed Jun 3, 2020, 05:51 PM Jun 2020

A point many are missing about the use of tear gas

From my college roommate (and first boyfriend):

Despite all the news coverage there is a point that is being missed. Don't be confused, all across our great country police (and military) are using chemical weapons on peaceful citizens.

All lachrymator agents (tear gases) are banned from warfare under the Geneva Protocol: It prohibits the use of "asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases, and of all analogous liquids, materials or devices" and "bacteriological methods of warfare".

So, if this were a war, every Mayor, Governor and Police Chief who authorized the use of tear gas could, and most likely would, be brought before the Hague to stand trial. That is a fact and should give us all pause.

These are powerful and dangerous chemicals and the use of them should be greatly limited. The term “tear gas” has a friendly ring to it. However, it is a misleading term. Lachrymator agents and other chemical weapons are not appropriate measures for the streets of the world’s greatest democracy.
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A point many are missing about the use of tear gas (Original Post) markpkessinger Jun 2020 OP
That stuff is nasty. grumpyduck Jun 2020 #1
I've gotten plenty in my time, back in the day. rzemanfl Jun 2020 #2
Only time I have ever been tear gassed was during the People's Park PufPuf23 Jun 2020 #3
So, trump is ignoring the Constitution and committing war crimes against his own people. crickets Jun 2020 #4
I turned to Faux today to see what they were saying about all this... thecrow Jun 2020 #5
K&R diva77 Jun 2020 #6

grumpyduck

(6,199 posts)
1. That stuff is nasty.
Wed Jun 3, 2020, 05:55 PM
Jun 2020

We were exposed to it in Basic Training many years ago and it is disgusting to think that it's being used on civilians.

rzemanfl

(29,540 posts)
2. I've gotten plenty in my time, back in the day.
Wed Jun 3, 2020, 06:03 PM
Jun 2020

It makes a person angry as hell to get gassed. Using it for crowd control is a recipe for a riot IMO, it makes people want to fight back with whatever comes to hand.

PufPuf23

(8,689 posts)
3. Only time I have ever been tear gassed was during the People's Park
Wed Jun 3, 2020, 06:16 PM
Jun 2020

demonstrations in Berkeley.

Rather than being in Berkeley for the demonstrations, I was in a short bus of high school students from elsewhere in East Bay on a field trip to the University Art Museum and Pacific Film Archives, across Bancroft from the Cal campus and east of Telegraph Avenue, not far from the ground zero between People's Park and Sproul Plaza (campus).

So lots of people and bad traffic and we had to park farther away than what had been useful then try to stay together as a small group 12-15) to traverse the action.

We must have looked too organized and were teargassed when the riot police formed a line and attempted to push back the crowd. We had managed to get surrounded by and trapped within the melee.

Once hit by tear gas it burns and is uncomfortable and not easy to recover without water and quiet as opposed to being enclosed by an agitated crowd being pressured by LE.

Yeah This use of gas is a war crime.

crickets

(25,896 posts)
4. So, trump is ignoring the Constitution and committing war crimes against his own people.
Wed Jun 3, 2020, 07:05 PM
Jun 2020

Does he really think the rest of the world can't see it and recognize what is going on?

thecrow

(5,519 posts)
5. I turned to Faux today to see what they were saying about all this...
Wed Jun 3, 2020, 11:11 PM
Jun 2020

First they were all a Twitter about Rod Rosenstein being grilled by the Senate...
They got around to the people demonstrating their solidarity and said
“The police did not use tear gas... that was smoke bombs. They were using pepper balls.”

So are they changing the narrative so the attack sounded much less than what it was?
Deplorable!

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