“Last week, people were just so shocked to see this administration tear-gas its own people. Tear gas is a chemical weapon that is used in war,” Rep. Ocasio-Cortez said during a phone call with other lawmakers.
The bill, led by Rep. Karen Bass and Sen. Kamala Harris , makes it easier to sue police officers.
Tear gas is actually not a gas; it’s a powder dispersed by explosives from a canister, like firecrackers. It’s produced by a handful of manufacturers, mostly based in the U.S. Developed during World War I, the chemical was refined over the years as it was used to suppress protests by U.S. unions, against colonial powers in Asia and Africa, and during wars in Vietnam and Iraq. More recently, it’s been used by governments toThe metal from tear gas canisters can severely damage people’s eyes as it has during recent U.S.
Congress passed a law last year that prevented U.S. manufacturers from shipping tear gas to Hong Kong, but police there just bought Chinese tear gas instead, he said. Chile imposed a temporary moratorium on tear gas in 2011, but it didn’t last. Despite deaths during Arab Spring protests, when demonstrators were hit with tear gas canisters, the U.S. continued manufacturing it.
“This is now coming home,” Jordt said. “… There’s been no oversight by local authorities who fund these police departments. It’s really stunning that no one realizes these departments are buying more and more of these [chemical] agents.”Get breaking news, investigations, analysis and more signature journalism from the Los Angeles Times in your inbox.
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