Police guidelines on tear gas use must be constantly reviewed

It may be an alternative to using bullets against civilians, but the substance can still have health effects, particularly on the vulnerable, such as the elderly, infants and those with low immunity

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Riot police fire tear gas in Wong Tai Sin following scuffles during a mass rally on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China: Photo: James Wendlinger

SCMP Editorial

Editorials represent the views of the South China Morning Post on the issues of the day.

Published: 9:41pm, 2 Oct 2019Updated: 11:32pm, 2 Oct 2019

A century after it was invented tear gas is more widely used than ever by law enforcement for civilian crowd control. But this prompts as much debate as ever about whether its use is always proportionate to the disorder in question or poses minimal risk to the public. A case in point is the firing of about 1,400 rounds of tear gas by Hong Kong police on Tuesday alone, in the 17th week of unrest and violence initially sparked by the now-withdrawn extradition bill.

The history of tear gas is marked by dark chapters, including a global ban on humanitarian grounds in the 1920s and incidents involving death and injury over the decades, which on occasion led to local bans or limitations in its use. It has never fallen into disuse because it remains an alternative to using bullets against civilians.

However, before the total number of tear-gas rounds fired by Hong Kong police had even reached 2,000, an expert in respiratory medicine warned that improper use could turn a non-lethal crowd control agent into a deadly weapon. Thanks to protective gear including gas masks and goggles worn by protesters, retreat and perhaps a bit of luck, there have been no reports of tragic examples yet.

Professor David Hui Shu-cheong, chairman of the department of medicine and therapeutics at Chinese University, urged law enforcers to strengthen manufacturers’ directions for use by drawing up new guidelines – presumably appropriate to this city’s crowded and closely built environment – to ensure the safety of those targeted. This was after some tear-gas canisters were fired in residential areas, near homes for the elderly and transport hubs, raising health fears.

After tear gas had been used inside Kwai Fong MTR station, Hui said that according to safety guidelines, tear gas should not be used indoors. This was dangerous for those with respiratory problems such as asthma. Thankfully it is the only instance of indoor use.