Concerns Arise Over Pink Substance Used by Nairobi Police on Protesters
A pink substance deployed by the police to disperse demonstrators in Nairobi has sparked concerns, with many suggesting it could be a harmful chemical already banned in warfare.
Videos circulating online show a distinct pink cloud outside a Java House outlet, resembling tear gas smoke.
This marks the first instance of this substance being used on protesters, raising questions about its identity and potential dangers.
Kenyans on social media are divided on its nature—some label it a ‘poisonous gas’ while others speculate it could be Agent Orange, a herbicide used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War.
The Agent Orange speculation gained traction after Auma Obama, President Barack Obama’s half-sister, condemned its use and shared information about the lethal substance.
Reacting to a tweet from Dictator Watch, Obama wrote, “Evil Evil Evil!”
Dictator Watch claimed, “William Ruto has now resorted to poison gas. The orange substance is highly toxic. This is a crime against Humanity.”
Despite the rumors and potential misinformation, the exact nature and components of the substance have not been officially identified.
So, what is Agent Orange? According to the Aspen Institute, it was a herbicide mixture used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War, containing a dangerous chemical contaminant called dioxin.
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Production of Agent Orange ceased in the 1970s, but dioxin continues to have harmful effects today.
Dioxin is a highly toxic pollutant linked to cancers, diabetes, birth defects, and other health issues.
Agent Orange was among the herbicides used by U.S. forces from 1961 to 1971 in Vietnam to defoliate trees and destroy food crops aiding opposition forces.
The Red Cross estimates three million Vietnamese have been affected by dioxin, including 150,000 children with serious birth defects.
Millions of Americans and Vietnamese are still affected by the wartime spraying of Agent Orange and other herbicides.
While it’s unclear if Kenyan police used Agent Orange, one Kenyan shared her experience after the substance was deployed.
“They shot someone in the eye today and when people tried to help, they tear-gassed the entire street with dioxin. My friends and I could not breathe. One of us is asthmatic and still feeling the effects of the gas. #RutoMustGo by any means necessary!” she wrote.
Concerns Arise Over Pink Substance Used by Nairobi Police on Protesters
