Tear Gas: The Weapon of Choice for Maintaining Domestic Order
When the Independent reports on a judge banning ICE from using tear gas on 'peaceful protesters — including children,' it's easy to focus on the outrage of the moment. But to genuinely understand the situation, one must recognize it's a well-worn playbook, dusted off and deployed repeatedly, often with strategic justifications that crumble under scrutiny. FIRST INSTANCE: Chemical Warfare Comes
Home (1930s-1960s) The practice of using tear gas against civilians in the US isn't new. While the military experimented with chemical weapons in WWI, domestic law enforcement began deploying 'riot control agents' with fervor during the labor disputes of the 1930s (National Labor Relations Board v. Fansteel Metallurgical Corp., 1939) . By the 1960s, as civil rights and anti-war movements gained
traction, tear gas became a routine accessory for police forces nationwide. One might wonder why, despite being an internationally condemned chemical weapon for warfare ( Chemical Weapons Convention, 1993 ), its use on domestic populations remains largely unbanned for law enforcement until courts are forced to intervene. REPETITIONS: The Cycle of 'Riot Control' (1968, 1999, 2020) 1968 Chicago
Democratic National Convention: Police famously gassed and beat anti-war protestors, sparking widespread condemnation but little systemic change regarding chemical agent use. The Walker Report by the National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence (1968) famously labeled it a 'police riot.' Yet, the tools of suppression remained. 1999 Seattle WTO Protests: Seattle's police department,