Did Georgian police use a chemical weapon against protesters? – BBC World Service Documentaries

“It didn’t only get you wet, it also burned your skin”

A year-long investigation by #BBCEye into claims that police in Georgia used chemicals mixed in water cannons against its own citizens during protests in 2024.

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The Georgian capital, Tbilisi, has experienced some of the longest running anti-government protests in Europe. Demonstrators attempt to block the city’s main street night after night.

But a year ago in Winter 2024, as the protests were just beginning, the police used measures against the crowds that few had anticipated.

Tens of thousands had taken to the streets after the government announced that it would delay accession talks to join the European Union. In response, the police deployed thousands of officers, tear gas, and water cannons against them. Protesters soon began to report worrying symptoms; breathing difficulties, skin irritation, and even vomiting after being struck by riot control measures.

The BBC spoke with victims, high-level whistleblowers, weapons experts, toxicologists, and doctors to uncover the likely identity of the unknown chemical in the water cannons that was described by one man as being ten times stronger than regular tear gas.

The Georgian authorities described the BBC’s findings as ‘absurd’ and stated that law enforcement acted ‘within the bounds of the law and the constitution’ when responding to the ‘illegal actions of brutal criminals’.

00:00 Introduction: The Fight for Georgia
02:42 Zviad’s Story
04:28 The Protests Begin
08:19 Water Cannons
15:53 Documenting the Violence
18:49 The Former Cop
24:23 The Defector
30:03 The Protests Endure
34:40 Long Term Consequences
36:58 The Whistleblower
42:03 Revealing the Chemicals
48:03 The Crackdown Intensifies

🎥 Watch this film in Georgian by clicking on Settings ➡ Subtitles/CC ➡ Georgian
🎥 უყურეთ ამ ფილმს ქართულად დაჭერით პარამეტრებზე ➡ სუბტიტრები/CC ➡ ქართული

🎞️ Watch more investigative journalism from our award-winning BBC Eye investigations team at this documentary playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz_B0PFGIn4fa8LK1lptsvoA_spfJhzda

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