Shocking! WWI Poison Used on Protesters? What's Happening in Georgia?!

Georgian authorities are facing serious accusations. A recent BBC investigation has uncovered evidence suggesting they deployed a WWI-era chemical weapon, camite, against anti-government protesters last year. It's a chilling thought, really. Using something that old, and that dangerous, against your own citizens?

Shocking! WWI Poison Used on Protesters? What's Ha...

The protests, you might remember, flared up when the government put the brakes on their bid to join the European Union. Apparently, that move really struck a nerve with the Georgian people. What followed, according to the BBC's findings, wasn't just standard crowd control. Protesters described a burning sensation from water cannon blasts that wouldn't wash off, and lingering health problems that sound far beyond typical pepper spray exposure.

One protester vividly recounted feeling "the water burning," a sensation that persisted even after thoroughly washing. Other demonstrators reported a disturbing array of symptoms – shortness of breath, persistent coughing, and even vomiting that lasted for weeks after the demonstrations. These aren't the kind of symptoms you shrug off; they point to something far more sinister than a simple irritant.

The BBC World Service didn't just rely on anecdotal evidence. They consulted with chemical weapons experts, as well as whistleblowers from within the Georgian riot police. They even spoke with doctors. All the evidence pointed towards the use of camite, a chemical agent first identified by the French military decades ago. It’s a nasty piece of work, if the history books are to be believed.

Predictably, the Georgian authorities aren’t taking these accusations lying down. They’ve dismissed the investigation’s findings as "absurd," claiming that police were acting legally in response to “illegal actions of brutal criminals." A familiar refrain, isn't it? Accuse the victims of being the aggressors. But the evidence seems to be mounting.

Adding to the weight of the allegations, a demonstrator present at the initial protests, Konstantine Chakhunashvili, launched a survey to investigate the long-term health impacts of these crowd control measures. His findings are disturbing. Out of nearly 350 respondents, almost half reported side effects that lasted longer than 30 days. These included debilitating headaches, fatigue, coughs, shortness of breath, and vomiting. It’s hard to ignore that kind of consistency.

Dr. Chakhunashvili's survey has since undergone peer review and will be published in Toxicology Reports. He even examined 69 of those surveyed, and found a "significantly higher prevalence of abnormalities" in their heart rhythms. It's becoming increasingly difficult for the Georgian authorities to sweep this under the rug, especially with international eyes now watching. This could have major ramifications for Georgia’s relationship with the EU and the wider world.