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French gendarmes mobiles using tear gas

These gendarmes mobiles are ready for riot control; they carry gas masks and one has a grenade launcher for sending tear gas canisters

This gendarme mobile is shooting tear gas canisters using a Alsetex "Cougar" launcher

A riot control agent generally refers to pepper spray or OC and tear gas lachrymatory agent (or lacrimatory agent). These are chemical compounds, such as benzyl bromide, or CS gas (o-Chlorobenzylidene malononitrile) that causes the eyes to sting and water. The word "lachrymatory" comes from the Latin lacrima meaning "a tear". The term "riot control agent" is a euphemism. Image File history File links Circle-question-red. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 534 pixelsFull resolution (1020 × 681 pixel, file size: 140 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Manifestations et émeutes, Paris, France (place de la Bastille et environs), le 6 mai 2007 suite à lélection de Nicolas Sarkozy à la présidence de la... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 534 pixelsFull resolution (1020 × 681 pixel, file size: 140 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Manifestations et émeutes, Paris, France (place de la Bastille et environs), le 6 mai 2007 suite à lélection de Nicolas Sarkozy à la présidence de la... Gendarmes Gendarmes guarding the Paris Hall of Justice Gendarmerie motorcyclists police the roads and autoroutes of rural France. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 387 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1440 × 2232 pixel, file size: 520 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Gendarmes mobiles preparing for riot control on the evening after the second round of balloting of the French presidential election, 2007. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 387 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1440 × 2232 pixel, file size: 520 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Gendarmes mobiles preparing for riot control on the evening after the second round of balloting of the French presidential election, 2007. ... Belgian 1930s era L.702 model civilian mask. ... A grenade launcher is weapon that fires or launches a grenade to longer distances than a soldier could throw by hand. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (1020 × 680 pixel, file size: 108 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Manifestations et émeutes, Paris, France (place de la Bastille et environs), le 6 mai 2007 suite à lélection de Nicolas Sarkozy à la présidence de la... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (1020 × 680 pixel, file size: 108 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Manifestations et émeutes, Paris, France (place de la Bastille et environs), le 6 mai 2007 suite à lélection de Nicolas Sarkozy à la présidence de la... Pepper spray (also known as OC spray (from Oleoresin Capsicum), OC gas, capsicum spray, or oleoresin capsicum) is a lachrymatory agent (a chemical compound that irritates the eyes to cause tears, pain, and even temporary blindness) that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense... Categories: Stub | Chemical weapons ... A chemical compound is a chemical substance of two or more different chemically bonded chemical elements, with a fixed ratio determining the composition. ... Benzyl bromide, or α-bromotoluene, is an organic compound consisting of a benzene ring substituted with a bromomethyl group. ... CS or 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile (also called o-Chlorobenzylidene Malononitrile)(chemical formula: C10H5ClN2) is a substance that is used as a riot control agent and is claimed to be non-lethal. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... Also see: Tears (song) by X Japan, or Tears (film) by Im Sang-soo. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Any chemical which has this effect may be called lachrymatory, but "riot control agent" or "tear gas" implies a lachrymatory chemical chosen because it is assumed to be non-lethal. French mobile gendarmes doing riot control. ... Non-lethal force is force which is not inherently likely to kill or cause great bodily injury to a living target. ...

These chemicals are used to disperse a crowd that could be protesting, in a riot, or to clear a building. They can rapidly produce sensory irritation or disabling physical effects which usually disappear 15 minutes (for tear gas) and up to 2 hours (for pepper spray) following termination of exposure. They can also be used for chemical warfare defense training, although their use in warfare itself is a violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ... Chemical warfare is warfare (and associated military operations) using the toxic properties of chemical substances to kill, injure or incapacitate an enemy. ... Chemical Weapons Convention Opened for signature January 13, 1993 in Paris Entered into force April 29, 1997 Conditions for entry into force Ratification by 50 states and the convening of a Preparatory Commission Parties 181 (as of Oct. ...

Tear gas is a non-specific term for any chemical that is used to cause temporary incapacitation through irritation of eyes and/or respiratory system. Tear gas is used as a hand-held spray or in grenades. It is widely used by police forces to subdue people in arrest or riot situations. A chemical substance is any material substance used in or obtained by a process in chemistry: A chemical compound is a substance consisting of two or more chemical elements that are chemically combined in fixed proportions. ... Grenade may refer to: The well-known hand grenade commonly used by soldiers. ... An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by a public officer which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ...

Popular tear gases include the eye irritants CS, CN, and CR. Another widely used chemical eye and respiratory irritant is OC pepper spray. CS or 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile (also called o-Chlorobenzylidene Malononitrile)(chemical formula: C10H5ClN2) is a substance that is used as a riot control agent and is claimed to be non-lethal. ... Not to be confused with hydrogen cyanide, HCN. CN, or chloroacetophenone, is a gas used as a riot control agent. ... CR gas or dibenzoxazepine, chemically dibenz[b,f][1,4]oxazepine, is an incapacitating agent and a lachrymatory agent. ... Pepper spray (also known as OC spray (from Oleoresin Capsicum), OC gas, capsicum spray, or oleoresin capsicum) is a lachrymatory agent (a chemical compound that irritates the eyes to cause tears, pain, and even temporary blindness) that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense...

These gases are usually fired in canisters that heat up spewing out a 'gas' cloud at a steady rate. Technically, these clouds are aerosols, and not true gasses. Particulates, alternatively referred to as particulate matter (PM), aerosols or fine particles, are tiny particles of solid or liquid suspended in a gas. ...

Defense against tear gases

When tear gas is released, the safest thing is to move away from the tear gas cloud to fresh air. If inside, shut all doors and windows.

If the gas gets in your eyes they need to be rinsed. In lack of proper equipment a piece of onion can be used to provoke tears that clear the eyes.^{[citation needed]}

Substances

Among a long series of substances, three have become of greater importance than the others. They are effective and imply low risks when used. These substances are chloroacetophenone (codename CN), ortho-chlorobenzylidene-malononitrile (codename CS) and dibenz (b,f)-1,4-oxazepine (codename CR). CN was formerly the most widely used tear gas. Today, CS has largely replaced CN and is probably the most widely used tear gas internationally. Not to be confused with hydrogen cyanide, HCN. CN, or chloroacetophenone, is a gas used as a riot control agent. ... CS or 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile (also called o-Chlorobenzylidene Malononitrile)(chemical formula: C10H5ClN2) is a substance that is used as a riot control agent and is claimed to be non-lethal. ... CR gas or dibenzoxazepine, chemically dibenz[b,f][1,4]oxazepine, is an incapacitating agent and a lachrymatory agent. ...

Decontamination

At room temperature, these tear gases are white solid substances. They are stable when heated and have low vapor pressure. Consequently, they are generally dispersed as aerosols. All of them have low solubility in water but can be dissolved in several organic solvents. Hydrolysis of CN is very slow in water solution, also when alkali is added. CS is rapidly hydrolyzed in water solution (half-life at pH 7 is about 15 min. at room temperature) and extremely rapid when alkali is added (half-life at pH 9 is about 1 min.). CR is hydrolyzed only to a negligible extent in water solution. In chemistry and physics, Vapor pressure is the pressure of a vapor in equilibrium with its non-vapor phases. ... Particulates, alternatively referred to as particulate matter (PM), aerosols or fine particles, are tiny particles of solid or liquid suspended in a gas. ... Solubility refers to the ability for a given substance, the solute, to dissolve in a solvent. ... A solvent is a liquid that dissolves a solid, liquid, or gaseous solute, resulting in a solution. ... Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction or process in which a chemical compound reacts with water. ... In chemistry, an alkali (from Arabic: al-qalyالقلوي, القالي ) is a basic, ionic salt of an alkali metal or alkali earth metal element. ... The correct title of this article is . ... The correct title of this article is . ...

CN and CR are, thus, difficult to decompose under practical conditions, whereas CS can easily be inactivated by means of a water solution. Skin is suitably decontaminated by thorough washing with soap and water. CS is then decomposed whereas CN and CR are only removed. Not to be confused with hydrogen cyanide, HCN. CN, or chloroacetophenone, is a gas used as a riot control agent. ... CR gas or dibenzoxazepine, chemically dibenz[b,f][1,4]oxazepine, is an incapacitating agent and a lachrymatory agent. ... CS or 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile (also called o-Chlorobenzylidene Malononitrile)(chemical formula: C10H5ClN2) is a substance that is used as a riot control agent and is claimed to be non-lethal. ...

Decontamination of material after contamination with CS can be done with a 5-10 % soda solution or 2 % alkaline solution. If this type of decontamination cannot be accomplished (e.g., contaminated rooms and furniture), then the only other means is by intensive air exchange—preferably with hot air.

Exposed streets and sidewalks will have toxic and irritating CS powder that will be stirred into the air by traffic and pedestrians long after the cloud has dissipated, and should be washed away with water.

In contrast to human beings, domesticated animals generally have low sensitivity to tear gases. Dogs and horses can therefore be used by police for riot control even when tear gas is used. French mobile gendarmes doing riot control. ...

Backpack fire extinguishers

These are used to extinguish fires started during riots, when these fires closely endanger police personnel. [1](in German).

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See also

• Pepper spray
• Use of poison gas in World War I
• Review about Pharmacology, Toxicology, Biochemistry and Chemistry of several riot control agents:

Olajos EJ, Salem H (2001). "Riot Control Agents: Pharmacology, Toxicology, Biochemistry and Chemistry". J Appl Toxicol: 355-391.  Pepper spray (also known as OC spray (from Oleoresin Capsicum), OC gas, capsicum spray, or oleoresin capsicum) is a lachrymatory agent (a chemical compound that irritates the eyes to cause tears, pain, and even temporary blindness) that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense... A poison gas attack in World War I. The use of poison gas was a major military innovation of the First World War. ...

External links

• Riot Agents