A century-old weapon may have returned — and this time, it wasn’t used on a battlefield, but on civilians protesting in the streets of Georgia. BBC investigators have uncovered worrying evidence that a chemical compound from World War One, possibly long banned, was used against demonstrators during anti-government protests in Tbilisi last year. And this is where the story takes a dark and controversial twist.
Protesters described the water from police cannons as painfully burning their skin — a sensation that didn’t fade even after heavy washing. Some said the pain even intensified when they tried to rinse it off. Others reported serious symptoms lasting for weeks: persistent coughing, vomiting, trouble breathing, and exhaustion.
Historical echoes beneath modern streets
The BBC World Service, working with chemical weapons specialists, Georgian police insiders, and doctors, found indications that the compound used could be “camite”, a toxic agent employed by French forces during World War One. Shockingly, this substance was thought to have been removed from use in the 1930s due to its dangerous persistence. Modern law enforcement typically relies on CS gas, often known as tear gas, which is far milder and short-lasting by comparison.
Georgian authorities dismissed the BBC’s investigation as “absurd,” insisting that police only acted lawfully against what they called “the violent actions of criminals.” But the evidence tells a more unsettling story.
The protests that changed the conversation
The wave of protests began on 28 November 2024, when Georgia’s government paused its bid to join the European Union — a national goal written into the country's constitution. As citizens took to the streets of Tbilisi to vent their outrage, police responded with pepper spray, CS gas, and the water cannons later found to be at the center of this unfolding controversy.
Among the protesters was Dr. Konstantine Chakhunashvili, a pediatrician who has participated in numerous demonstrations. He described a severe burning sensation that persisted for days and worsened on contact with water. To understand the extent of the damage, he conducted a social media survey that received nearly 350 responses. Almost half of participants said their symptoms—ranging from headaches to fatigue and respiratory issues—lasted more than a month.
Dr. Chakhunashvili examined dozens of patients himself, discovering that 69 of them had unusual heart rhythm abnormalities. His research was peer reviewed and accepted by Toxicology Reports, an international medical journal. His findings aligned with local journalists and human rights groups, all of whom concluded that a chemical compound was mixed into the water — a claim the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs refused to confirm.
Whistleblowers break their silence
Several former officers from Georgia’s Special Tasks Department, including its ex-head of weaponry, Lasha Shergelashvili, came forward. According to him, the compound used in 2024 was the same one he had tested for water cannon deployment back in 2009. The experience, he said, was harrowing.
Even after meticulous washing with water and a soda-based neutralizing solution, he and his team could barely breathe. He deemed the compound far more potent than typical tear gas — “probably ten times stronger.” He recommended against its use, but the department continued loading the substance onto police vehicles, reportedly until at least 2022.
From his new home in Ukraine, Shergelashvili said he instantly recognized the symptoms seen in Tbilisi’s protests. Others within the force later confirmed that the same chemicals were still in play.
Uncovering the chemical code
BBC reporters obtained a 2019 inventory list from the Special Tasks Department, which included two mysterious entries: “Chemical liquid UN1710” and “Chemical powder UN3439.” A second former senior officer verified the document’s authenticity and said those substances likely mixed into the water cannons.
UN1710 corresponds to trichloroethylene (TCE), a solvent useful for blending chemicals into water. UN3439, however, was harder to trace — it applies to a wide range of hazardous compounds. Among these, only bromobenzyl cyanide, also called camite, has a history as a crowd-control agent used during World War One.
Experts weigh in
To verify, BBC investigators consulted Professor Christopher Holstege, a renowned expert on toxicology and chemical warfare. Based on medical reports, eyewitness testimonies, and the recovered police documents, Holstege concluded that bromobenzyl cyanide (camite) was indeed the likely compound used. Its persistence and extreme irritation matched the described effects, unlike the short-term discomfort caused by common riot-control gases.
Holstege warned that the revival of such an obsolete and dangerous agent would be profoundly alarming: “If this chemical has been brought back, it poses serious danger. Victims would require medical treatment, and areas would remain hazardous for days.”
Camite was briefly tested for crowd control by American police after World War One, but abandoned once safer options emerged. Under international law, law enforcement agencies may only use chemicals that cause fleeting, reversible effects. Anything stronger could be classified as a chemical weapon.
Human rights concerns and government pushback
UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Alice Edwards said the allegations were deeply troubling. She has previously written to Georgia’s government over reports of police brutality and torture. According to Edwards, using harsh or experimental chemical mixtures in civilian areas violates basic human rights norms: “Populations should never be subjected to experimental weapons.”
She emphasized that international law demands temporary effects from any riot-control agent, noting that the symptoms reported by protesters “go far beyond what would be considered acceptable or short-lived.” Each case, she insisted, “should be thoroughly investigated under the framework of torture or inhuman treatment.”
Still, Georgian officials doubled down, labeling the BBC’s findings “frivolous” and “nonsensical,” stating that security forces operated “within the limits of the constitution.”
The protests continue
Though the protests on Rustaveli Avenue have decreased in size due to stricter penalties and arrests, they persist almost nightly. Demonstrators continue demanding government accountability, accusing leaders of manipulating elections, curtailing freedoms, and aligning with Russian interests.
The ruling Georgian Dream party strongly denies these accusations, asserting that recent legislative changes are designed solely to enhance public welfare and protect national stability.
Do you think reintroducing a chemical once abandoned for its danger crosses the line between crowd control and chemical warfare? Should governments face stronger international consequences when protest suppression blurs into potential human rights violations? Share your perspective — the debate is far from over.
