Riot
control methods: What's in your riot's menu? How to deal with them? -
Çağrı Mert Bakırcı part 4.
The
Turkish original of this article, “İsyan
Kontrolünde Kullanılan Yöntemler ve Biyolojik Etkileri”,
signed Çağrı Mert Bakırcı, was published on
June 16th, 2013 in
Evrim
Ağacı.org.
The content of the article is as follows: Introduction, The chemicals
used in riot control and their biological effects, Pressurized water,
Water cannon, Armed vehicles, Scent-based weapons, Pepper gas, Tear
gas and its varieties, The expiration dates of gases and their
effects, Why we feel that the effect of the gases change/increase,
How to protect oneself, Batons, Conclusion.
We
partitioned the article and therefore restructured the sections for
presentational purposes. The
first part covered batons and pressurized water while the
second covered water cannons and other armed vehicles. This will
be an extension of the
third part on scent-based weapons, pepper gas, tear gas and its
varieties. We will discuss
- lethal chemical weapons,
- the issue of expiration date, and
- the development of the effects of gases.
Some
lethal chemical weapons
In
addition to tear gas varieties discussed in the previous part [LINK
LINK LINK] of this article, there are much more dangerous chemical
weapons used throughout history.
- Rainbow Herbicides
First,
we will study the Rainbow
Herbicides
used by the US military in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. The
8 varieties, each produced for a different purpose, are strictly
forbidden internationally. The objective
in their utilization was destroying the plant-based ecosystem of an
agricultural food production and/or destroying foliage which provides
the enemy cover.
Agent
Pink and
Agent Green
contain large amounts of TCDD and were only used in the early
“testing” stages of the spraying program before 1964. Agent
Purple, designed
to clear brush, was also used in the same period. Agent
Blue, aimed at
killing narrow leaf plants (such as rice, grass, banana and bamboo),
and Agent White
were used extensively (around 75 and 20 million liters, respectively)
in Vietnam and are still used in industrial agriculture complexes.
A
total of 76 million liters of Agent
Orange
were sprayed to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia during Vietnam War,
causing 500 000 children to be born with birth defects, killing 400
000 people, and affecting more than 1 million people. The official
goal of the US army was, according to the Wikipedia
article on Agent Orange,
“to defoliate forested and rural land, depriving guerrillas of
cover; [… and] destroy the ability of peasants to support
themselves in the countryside and forcing them to flee to the U.S.
dominated cities, thus depriving the guerrillas of their rural
support and food supply.”
Below
are some photos of how the Agent Orange was sprayed.
Note
that the names of these chemicals indicate the color of stripes on
their containers and not
the color of the gas sprayed.
The
Rainbow Herbicides, Agent Orange especially, are highly toxic. Their
health effects include throat cancer, acute/chronic leukemia,
Hodgkin's lymphoma, lung cancer, prostate cancer, soft tissue
sarcoma, colon cancer, as well as nerve, digestive, skin and
respiratory disorders. In many countries, not only their usage but
also to keep them is strictly forbidden.
Agent
Orange is not designed for riot control and is therefore not used via
capsules as the OC, CS, CR and CN, the tear gas varieties used by the
police as we mentioned in the previous part. They are sprayed by
aircrafts, as seen in the photos above. No canisters or capsules for
Agent Orange were observed until now anywhere in the world.
Agent
Orange contains high amounts of dioxin and specifically TCDD, one of
the most dangerous chemical weapons. Once again, it is not and cannot
be used for riot control.
In
short, the use of Agent Orange is not a game. Access to it is
strongly restricted and its use is strictly forbidden. It is nearly
impossible that it was used by police forces during the uprising in
Turkey. Some photos of its effects may help you understand what we
mean:
- Phosgene and Diphosgene: They were used in World War I and in the 2nd Sino-Japanese War. Known to be lethal, their use is strongly restricted by law.
- Mustard gas (Sulfur mustard): According to the Wikipedia article on Sulfur mustard, they have “the ability to form large blisters on the exposed skin and in the lungs. Pure sulfur mustards are colorless, viscous liquids at room temperature. When used in impure form, such as warfare agents, they are usually yellow-brown in color and have an odor resembling mustard plants, garlic, or horseradish, hence the name.” It affects the guanine in the DNA, prevents cellular division and leads to programmed cell death. Its use is regulated under the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention.
- Nerve agents: They are a class of phosphorus- containing organic chemicals that are known to be lethal. United Nations considers them as weapons of mass destruction, and they are therefore not used in riot control.
Dates
of Expiry of the Gases
One
of the frequently asked questions was whether there are problems due
to exposure to gases whose expiry dates passed. Unfortunately, it is
not known whether expired gases have additional health hazards or
not. This uncertainty itself is sufficient reason for not using
expired gases. Although future research may as well show that it is
biologically or chemically irrelevant, assuming this probability can
be dangerous and police forces should not make such risky
presuppositions.
It
was observed (in India, Cairo, Jordan and Greece) that gases which
are expired by more than 30 years were used by police forces.
Interviewed experts on the subject matter stated (for instance in
Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper) that long exposure to expired gases may
harm more severely than normal gases. However, this information does
not seem to rely on research, and a more established opinion on the
subject cannot be reached until further studies.
While
some claim that expired gases have less effects (and that therefore
they should be used before the expiry date to obtain full
effectiveness), others argue that long waited gases may become more
harmful and cause uncontrolled effects. According to some doctors,
long waited gases may lead to unexpected side effects.
One
can say that the chemicals used in tear gas are unstable compounds
and they dissolve after some time. The resulting chemicals may be
harmful to body, or maybe harmless. Still, a direct consequence is
that the tearing effect is reduced in this way. In short, further
research is needed to reach a solid conclusion on this subject.
Why
Do We Feel That The Effects Are Increasing/Changing?
During
the uprising in Turkey, many protesters experienced that the effects
of the chemicals changed and increased. This phenomenon was observed
in many other riots that had long durations. As a result, several
speculations follow and various wrong news items spread, claiming the
use of chemicals that may not be used (nor kept) or that are not
produced anymore.
We
should know that the chemicals used against the protests have not
changed. For instance, during the Gezi resistance, the chemicals used
were always OC, CS and perhaps CR (although we did not find any
evidence of its use yet). [See Part 3 of this article.] These are
non-lethal chemical weapons routinely used in various countries.
There
are two main reasons for the protesters to feel an increase in the
effects. First, extensive and long-duration use of chemicals have
a cumulative effect and thus cause different reaction in the
body. As this is not felt by a single individual but by a large group
of people at the same time, the protesters may conclude that a
different type of gas is used. However, what changes is not the gas
but the effects of the same gas (OC, CS or CR). In other words,
repetitive exposure to the same chemical may cause different physical
reactions. The reason for many people to feel the change
simultaneously is as follows: The thresholds for the receptors and
nerves affected by these chemicals are at similar levels for all
human beings. Therefore, after a certain dose, there is a
simultaneous reaction to the gases in many individuals, such as pain
and inflammation.
All
this applies to the gas bombs shot in canisters (as their content is
fixed and cannot be changed after the production). The second reason,
on the other hand, relates to water cannons and the chemicals mixed
with water sprayed from them. Contrary to common belief, the liquid
sprayed by a water cannon is not pure water. As mentioned before,
micro-particles can be added to increase friction, and tear gas can
be added too. When the amount of tear gas compounds is increased
in the mixture, its effect on the body increases. Moreover, as
opposed to being exposed to gas, these mixtures directly affect the
skin and therefore have a stronger effect. (Furthermore, the CR gas –
if used – is much more effective in wet parts.) So, when the
security forces increase the amount of chemicals in the mixture,
their effects increase and the physical reaction of the protester's
body may change.
To
sum up, an increase in pain due to chemicals does not necessarily
imply a change in the chemicals. Increased use of the same chemical
would give the same result. While the gases in chemicals cannot be
altered (they are bought as they are), the chemical concentrations in
the water cannons may vary. The police forces should take special
care about this as chemically dense mixtures may cause permanent
damages and even death.
There
is a particularly important issue on this subject: Contrary to the
gases bought in canisters, the chemicals used in the water cannons
are hard to identify. Hence, it is crucial to analyze the liquid
mixtures in order to understand their actual content. To this end,
you can keep your clothes that are exposed to them and let them
analyzed in labs with a lawyer's help.
However,
it is also useful to avoid misinformation on this subject. It is
wrong and misleading to claim (without evidence) that the police used
unknown gases and chemicals, just to prove the legitimacy of the
protests. The “normal” gases already classify as chemical weapons
and their exaggerated use in the Gezi protests is already horrifying
for any sane person who could imagine its consequences. Therefore,
what is needed is to emphasize the already existing error and crime,
instead of speculating and producing unverified information. In any
case, the use of tear gases in riot control is very dangerous for
public health and should be stopped immediately.
How
To Protect Ourselves
Editorial
note: The original article suggests the followings: Avoid contact. Be
prepared. Remain outdoors. Blink your eyes and wash them with water.
Take off your clothes. Use cold water and neutralizing chemicals. Use
soap and water after some time. Get medical help. Help the animals
around you.
In
order to avoid repetition, we skip this section and refer our readers
to the following articles we already translated in the past:
Conclusion
While
there is no effective way of getting rid of these gases and
chemicals, the most convenient way would be the prohibition and
restriction of their uses. These chemicals can be lethal, especially
when their dose is increased. While their effects can be reduced by
using other neutralizing chemicals, the individuals exposed to them
would experience middle-term and long-term effects of them.
Therefore, the protesters are advised to get medical support as soon
as they can, when they are exposed to these gases.
It
should be kept in mind that the 1925 Geneva Protocol bans the use of
lethal biological and chemical weapons and Turkey signed this
protocol. Hence, governments around world should act responsibly when
using chemicals in riot control. Otherwise, they would be acceding
that they aim at murdering their own people.
Follow-up: It is now documented that the police used chemicals in Adana during the uprising. Chemical analysis showed that the water mixture used by the water cannons contained dihydrocapsaicin, which is known to have lethal effects.
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