EMERGENCY MINISODE: Protecting Yourself From Tear Gas & Other Chemical Weapons

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EMERGENCY MINISODE: Protecting Yourself From Tear Gas & Other Chemical Weapons

Community activist Jung shares safety tips when coming into contact with chemical weapons used against civilians during protests

Randy Kim

Oct 09, 2025

Jung is back on my podcast again to share their PSA on tear gas and other chemical weapons that are used against civilians during times of protest. Jung gives us a rundown of what is being used by ICE, police, and military agents, and what you need to do in case you come in contact with any chemicals. Please check out this 20-minute video from Jung on safety tips, and below are additional safety tips and awareness and resources for your reference. Also, check out my previous episode with Jung in case you missed it which is ICE Raids & Protest Safety Episode

Thank you Jung for this useful information!

Tear Gas & Pepper Spray are frequently referred to as “gases” but are actually very fine powders, which means that they stick to bodies and objects, and settle on surfaces and the ground. While most research about the long-term impacts of chemical weapons exposure have been done in places with repeat and ongoing exposures, reporters are sharing anecdotal evidence of physical irritation from secondary exposure among Broadview residents.

ICE / CBP have been primarily using two general types of chemical weapons:

Pepper balls, which are shot out of an Airsoft gun and are similar in diameter to paintballs and similarly meant to explode on impact
- The term “PepperBall” is trademarked by a company called United Tactical Systems (UTS) located in Lake Forest, IL, which is just north of the city in Lake County.
- The Chicago Reader printed a story in late September revealing a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) purchase from UTS for $1.7M in supplies.
CS gas, in a variety of canisters and smoke colors, manufactured by a company called Defense Technologies
- Some of the canisters are one-part and other are in three-parts that break apart to increase the area that smoke and gas can reach, and I’ve included pictures of both types so that you can see examples what they might look like
- Defense Technologies is the US subsidiary of a company called BAE Systems, which is based in the UK and has a history of defense contracts with Saudi Arabia for use of BAE weapons in Yemen and with Israel for use of BAE weapons across occupied Palestine
- Using CS gas is banned during war by the Geneva Conventions though has been approved around the world for “crowd control” and “riot control”
The risk of injury from these weapons can come both from their powders as well as from the projectiles themselves

There is no recognized universal prevention for pepper spray, pepper balls, or tear gas attacks but these are some things you can do to reduce harm or risk of injury:

Wear long sleeves, long pants, long socks, and close toed shoes
Refrain from wearing contacts, lotions, face paint, and heavy sunscreens
If you can, wear googles and a P-100 or better respirator face mask → if that type of respirator face mask isn’t available, wear the best disposable you can find

If you’re in the vicinity of a tear gas attack, here are three options:

Move yourself and others away from it as calmly and quickly as possible - running may cause you to breathe more heavily which can let more chemical into your lungs
Put something over it to prevent spread - cardboard box or traffic cone - then pour water around the perimeter and through a hole (if any) then move to fresh air
Throw or kick it then move to fresh air - know that this comes with high risk of injury due to the temperature of the canister, and high risk of charges of assault or other violence

If you’ve been exposed to tear gas or pepperballs and already done one of the three just mentioned, this is how you can treat your or others immediate exposure:

Tilt your head all the way back, kneeling or squatting if you need to lower the level of your face / head
Starting at the inside of the open eye, squirt a direct and steady stream of water while moving the bottle outward
1. It may be temporarily painful but it’s important to hold the eye open to effectively remove all debris
2. It’s not the composition of the liquid that is most important, it’s the impact of the water stream moving the tiny powder particles
3. That’s why WATER is the most effective → maalox and baby shampoo mixes haven’t been found to be any more effective than water on its own and milk can be harmful because of how quickly and easily it can spoil as well as potential allergens
Do this until pain has subsided and try as much as possible to not worsen things by rubbing your eyes

Here’s what you can do afterwards:

Remove soiled clothes as soon as possible and tie them up in a plastic bag - some say leave for 48 hours before washing to “deactivate” powder - which I’m not sure if wholly helpful but definitely doesn’t hurt (if a child or pet isn’t going to get to them)
Photograph any visible injuries, even if they are sore or tender

Shower and wash your hair with cold water (so it doesn’t open pores), and if you have long hair, clean it upside down so that the runoff isn’t running into your eyes or over the rest of your body
Engage in supportive aftercare - rest, hydration, nutritionally dense foods - including liquids soothing to your throat
Refrain from wearing heavy lotions or cream for 48-72 hours because your body will be continuing to get the powder out of your system through your skin
Make note of all symptoms you’re experiencing from time of exposure to at least one week after, and seek additional care if needed (especially to start a paper trail of evidence) - throat irritation, cough, nausea, headache, rash, hives, dizziness, etc. - and remember that all of these can be compounded by interactions with chronic conditions like asthma, heart disease, autoimmune conditions, and post-viral illness like Long COVID
Wear a KN95 or equivalent type disposable mask in indoor public spaces (if you’re not already) because chemical weapons exposure will impact your immune and respiratory systems and could increase risk for COVID or flu transmission

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