Hundreds join Hong Kong rally against use of tear gas, as protester group claims some of those exposed to smoke suffer rashes, diarrhoea or have coughed up blood
- Event at Edinburgh Place in Central held although officials have repeatedly dismissed fears that tear gas is toxic
- Group says it interviewed 17,000 people exposed to the smoke, with nearly a quarter saying they suffered some problems
Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Hong Kong on Friday night for a rally against the use of tear gas, as protesters’ representatives released a survey that said some of those exposed to the smoke had suffered from rashes, diarrhoea and coughed up blood.
The event at Edinburgh Place in Central was held even though officials had repeatedly dismissed fears that tear gas was toxic, with welfare minister Law Chi-kwong saying the level of carcinogenic dioxins resulting from a police crowd-control weapon was minimal compared with that released from barbecue activities.
On stage, masked members of the so-called Citizens’ Press Conference, a self-styled representative group of protesters, said they had interviewed 17,000 people who were exposed to the smoke, with up to 23 per cent claiming they suffered breathing problems, watery eyes and skin irritation for a prolonged period.
Another 16 per cent experienced abnormal diarrhoea, three times the figure from data obtained overseas.
“It proves that tear gas is toxic and poses great health risks,” one representative alleged, adding that about 5.5 per cent of respondents said they had coughed up blood and had discoloured urine.
