Families voice concern over tear gas use

Families voice concern over tear gas use

Over a hundred people joined a march in Kowloon Tong on Saturday morning urging authorities to use less tear gas, saying their children's health is at risk.



The parents, some of whom have brought along their kids, chanted slogans as they marched from Suffolk Road to La Salle College.



They said they want to express concern over tear gas affecting school campuses and children's health, and hope the police would refrain from firing tear-gas near residence and schools.



The protest came just a day after a group of current and former government advisers issued an open letter calling for an investigation into the health and environmental effects of tear gas.



Police have fired over 9,000 rounds of tear gas since the protests began in June.



Health Secretary Sophia Chan told lawmakers earlier this week that government studies have not found any evidence to suggest that the use of tear gas can produce dioxins or cause dioxin poisoning.



Dioxin are highly toxic and can sometimes cause cancer.



Chan also said the manufacturing details and chemical composition of tear gas used by the police can't be revealed as the force wants such information to be kept secret for operational reasons.