Two more interesting letters today from:

Letters: We deplore the use of such aggressive policing techniques and call for a public inquiry to investigate and report on the use of CS spray

Call for an inquiry into use of CS spray

• The Guardian, Wednesday 2 February 2011
• Article history

At a time when public service cuts are starting to bite, campaigners from UK Uncut were on Sunday once again taking direct action on our high streets (Police use CS spray on tax protesters, 31 January). They were targeting Boots, which has moved to Switzerland, allowing the company to avoid paying millions in tax. Outside the Oxford Street branch of Boots, a police officer, without warning, used CS spray against demonstrators, three of whom were taken to hospital. When tax injustice enjoyed by the rich is combined so starkly with cuts in vital public services for the poor, and the government refuses to listen or act, people have the moral and legal right to protest.

The state is the collective democratic vehicle to serve the interests of all people of this country. And when acting through the police force, it has to be incredibly careful about not being perceived to be acting politically – to serve the interests of the rich against the poor. 

We deplore the use of such aggressive policing techniques and call for a public inquiry to investigate and report on the use of CS spray against protesters on Sunday. They should also provide guidance on how they plan to police the many, widespread and popular protests that are bound to feature across society in the months and years to come.

Neal Lawson Compass
Mark Serwotka PCS
John Christensen Tax Justice Network
Deborah Doane World Development Movement
Ruth Tanner War on Want
Lisa Nandy MP Labour, Wigan
Caroline Lucas MP Green, Brighton Pavilion
Peter Tatchell campaigner





• In response to your article on the police use of CS on demonstrators, could I, on behalf of a group of concerned scientists, provide a few facts. The chemical name for CS is o-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile and it is a highly irritant substance. CS is not soluble in water so is diluted in a solvent. In the UK this is methyl iso-butyl ketone. In Vietnam CS was used extensively by US forces in a way most would regard as a chemical weapon; it was also used in Northern Ireland in the 1970s in various situations involving large numbers of civilians. The formulations used in those two other countries differ from what the UK police use.

The current formulation was the subject of an investigation in 2004 by the medical toxicology unit at Guy's hospital in London and it reported that "it [CS] is more harmful that [sic] has been previously assumed". Anyone who believes they were affected by this chemical (and these complaints may relate to the skin, eyes, upper respiratory tract or heart) should contact us as we are setting up a monitoring group. Hugh Orde, the president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, has commented: "Police could adopt more extreme tactics to counter the growing wave of protests." Let's take note and act.

Elizabeth Sigmund

Callington, Cornwall