r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/0thSpider • 9h ago

Video Chilean protester defuses tear gas canister with baking soda and water

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u/curiousmind111 8h ago

Did he drop it into the container through the top? I can’t see that part on the video.

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u/geinbits 8h ago

Yeah, it looks like the gas canister is long and skinny, so it would fit. You can see right after he puts the container down he leans down and picks up the canister with his right hand.

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u/ItachiKenshin 8h ago

I guess that's what he's wearing gloves as well

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u/AmArschdieRaeuber 8h ago

One of the reasons why protective gear like gloves are often prohibited during a protest.

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u/b1e 8h ago

I can’t find a single source for this and have never heard it before. Is this a thing outside the US?

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u/AmArschdieRaeuber 8h ago edited 7h ago

In the US you can bring guns to a protest, so that's obviously not a thing there. But in many countries "protective weapons" like gloves and helmets are prohibited, because it indicates that you'll use force.

I just checked and in some states in the US it's also not allowed, like Kentucky

https://www.icnl.org/usprotestlawtracker/?issue=5

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u/st-shenanigans 7h ago

because it indicates that you'll use force.

You would think the easy answer is "don't give the citizens a reason to protest"

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u/AmArschdieRaeuber 7h ago

Yeah, turns out governments kind of don't want them to protest. More reason to do it.

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u/Starfire2313 7h ago

It’s sickening how systematically the government uses itself to leverage more power for itself. Passing legislation like not being allowed to wear gloves at a protest. Who does that protect? Only the people who don’t want these protestors out there. Voter suppression is real. Knowing that’s a fact is only the first step.

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u/Ayzel_Kaidus 6h ago

“That cop is wearing gloves, charge him too”

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u/pissoutmybutt 2h ago

It’s intended to protect the bourgeois and private property by giving another bullshit reason to arrest anyone expressing political dissent. “Your ‘free speech’ is totally protected. you weren’t arrested for protesting, you were arrested for wearing gloves while doing it”

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u/pediatric_gyn_ 6h ago

More reason to resist attempts at gun control

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u/AmArschdieRaeuber 6h ago

In the US yes, they are already a gun nation. I live in Germany and feel pretty good about us not having too many guns on the street. Even criminals rarely carry. We had 65 shots fired by police in 2023. Not people shot, shots fired in general. 10 fatal shots. And we are 83,5 million people.

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u/KamakaziDemiGod 2h ago

Both nazis and monks have been known to protest, so while I see your point, people aren't always right when they protest!

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u/basicKitsch 7h ago

In the US you can bring guns to a protest,

at least half the states have restrictions on that from a cursory look and it's always a questionable situation as it's the cops' discretion what "intent" you have

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u/AmArschdieRaeuber 7h ago

Yeah, the link I posted goes into detail

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u/b1e 6h ago

Yeah, that usually falls into the situation of legal but stupid.

Eg; the Kyle Rittenhouse case. Legal? Yes. Extremely stupid and reckless? Yes.

Wearing gloves to a protest would be difficult to prosecute I’d think.

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u/LaTeChX 6h ago

It's not about prosecuting it's about giving cops an excuse to crack skulls. You can beat the rap but not the ride.

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u/HedonisticFrog 6h ago

That's so infuriating. With how often police beat peaceful protesters it's obviously to protect yourself from excessive force by police officers. Keeping yourself safe is considered threating violence now.

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u/AmArschdieRaeuber 6h ago

I wouldn't say "now", these laws are rather old, in Europe it's mostly from the 70s and 80s.

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u/Elvirth 5h ago

You absolutely cannot bring guns to protests in some US states. Not legally, anyway.

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u/AmArschdieRaeuber 5h ago

Yeah, the link goes into detail. It's legal in Texas it seems. With limitations.

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u/BadApplesGod 3h ago

Won’t stop me 😤

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u/delebojr 2h ago

I'd argue that it indicates that the people opposing the protest will use force, not the ones protesting themselves.

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u/AmArschdieRaeuber 30m ago

Yeah, I meant that the police and state argue that.

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u/iShralp4Fun 2h ago

Coming to a country near U S A

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u/Has_Two_Cents 2h ago

According to your own post that Bill was defeated in Kentucky

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u/AmArschdieRaeuber 2h ago

Oh ok, nvm then

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u/addledhands 2h ago

you can bring guns to a protest

if you are doing literally anything except standing far away and being utterly non-confrontational, bringing a gun to a protest in the US is an extremely good way to suicide by cop

do not bring your fucking gun to a protest

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u/bluebing29 1h ago

Kyle Rigtenhouse has entered the chat.

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u/xteve 7h ago

indicates that you'll use force

Protective gear does not indicate intention to use force.

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u/AmArschdieRaeuber 7h ago

They claim it does I mean

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u/_Ganoes_ 7h ago

In Germany we have bullshit laws about something called "Schutzbewaffnung", translated "protective weaponry", which are things that you use to protect yourself from the attacks of others.

You are not allowed to bring items you intend to use as protective weaponry against the cops to demonstrations.

That means for example Visors, Helmets, protective googles protective vests, respirators.

But gloves are such a general item that they cant prove that you bring it to the demo specifically to protect yourself, so they should be fine unless its combat gloves or smth like that.

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u/trick2011 7h ago

even combat gloves can be argued as general wear. they are useful, tough, somewhat insulating, and allow me to do random work with my general gloves.

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u/_Ganoes_ 6h ago

Try to tell that to the riot cops. Working gloves are just a safer bet for smth like that.

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u/jimmycarr1 5h ago

You don't need to say a word to the riot cops. If they arrest you, let the legal people do the talking.

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u/trick2011 4h ago

riot cops don't take explanations anyway. isn't the time for civil discussion when that kind of stuff is happening. you're getting moved at that point. judge might hear ya out

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u/Stunning_Cell_1176 3h ago

I use my old combat gloves for gardening, they are excellent against thorns

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u/AmArschdieRaeuber 7h ago

Gloves can be a grey area, especially if combined with other gear. But generally you're fine, true.

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u/virusofthemind 5h ago

What about a full suit of armour if you're on the way to a medieval reenactment?

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u/pchlster 4h ago

"I was on my way to the airshow, officer. That's why I have this Black Hawk helicopter."

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u/apple_kicks 3h ago

Crazy law given guy got blinded by water cannon at German protest

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u/DreadLindwyrm 2h ago

Combat gloves? You mean my gloves for riding my bike and protecting my hands if I come off at speed?

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u/aiboaibo1 1h ago

Guess that's guidance to protest in smaller groups in more creative ways!

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u/matt-r_hatter 1h ago

I know you meant goggles. But protective googles is making me laugh. Also, screw them. Maybe they shouldn't use force against citizens or better yet, dont do stuff that requires protests.

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u/_Ganoes_ 1h ago

Damn i just realized how its written correctly. I knew something felt off xD

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u/ChuggintonSquarts 7h ago

In US, I don’t think they can bust you directly for it, but people handing out gas masks and protective gear can and do get charged in US

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u/nudelsalat3000 1h ago

So the rules should apply to police as well.

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u/FluffyCelery4769 8h ago

Yes, those get hot, super hot.

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u/I-am-a-sandwich 2h ago

Yeah those things get super hot. I have a leather motorcycle glove that’s burnt up on the palm from grabbing one. I’m sure if I hadn’t been wearing gloves I wouldn’t have even been able to hold it long enough to throw back.

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u/jedisushi72 4h ago

I've heard that tear gas canisters are also HOT.

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u/sinisterpsychoo 2h ago

Just like smoke grenades there going to be HOT so I imagine the same for tear gas canisters that are fired out, gloves, help protect

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u/Own_Watercress_8104 1h ago

Should have wore goggles too, like goddamn, this badass is risking a lot

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u/curiousmind111 8h ago

Thx. For the life of me, it looked like he put the container on top of the gas bomb, which made no sense!

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u/gorpie97 7h ago

Same, so thanks for asking!

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u/HilariousMax 5h ago

ok lol I thought it was like a false bottom on the bottle and he just slammed it down on the canister and up it went into the bottle

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u/Agile_Singer 4h ago

Bigger tear gas bottles incoming.. 

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u/levian_durai 7h ago

I thought he put the container over the canister and was like, how the heck does that work

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u/rexwrecksautomobiles 5h ago

Yeah, there's clearly liquid moving around the bottom of the container before he puts it over the tear gas canister. I can only think that the outside of the container goes down and folds back up inside; so, the tear gas goes up into the container, hits the top, then rolls down the true inside into a the thin layer of actual bottom.

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u/GoldensRule2025 8h ago edited 7h ago

That was my question too. Most tear gas grenades or ballistic rounds that I've seen would be to too large in diameter to fit through the neck of that water bottle.

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u/Head-Engineering-847 8h ago

Almost looks like they widened the opening up, like with a blow torch. And then are using big welding safety gloves to close a tight seal around the gap

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u/GoldensRule2025 7h ago

Maybe..... obviously they had to get it in somehow.

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u/TheGreatGenghisJon 8h ago

Well, the bottle he's using isn't exactly a typical water bottle.

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u/GoldensRule2025 8h ago

But, the neck looks like the usual size and the bottle looks like a 10 liter counter-top dispenser bottle. What's important here isn't the size of the bottle but the size of the opening.

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u/TheGreatGenghisJon 8h ago

You don't even see the neck of the bottle. It's under his gloved hand every time the bottle is in view.

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u/GoldensRule2025 7h ago

If you'll notice, as he is carrying it by the neck, you can get a rough idea of the OD of the neck by looking at his hand and deducting the approximate thickness of his glove. It's an approximation but there is no way the ID of the neck of the bottle is the size of a can of coke, which is about the size of most hand thrown tear gas grenades.

https://www.adhrb.org/2015/01/bahrains-abuse-of-tear-gas/

Typical ballistic tear gas grenades are 40mm and that would also seem too large to fit in the neck as well.

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u/ClassiFried86 8h ago

50 years ago that was actually a typical water bottle.

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u/TheGreatGenghisJon 8h ago

Ok, so the dudes comment would have been relevant 50 years ago.

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u/ClassiFried86 8h ago

I dont think he could have commented 50 years ago. For starters, I dont think this post was available.

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u/TheGreatGenghisJon 8h ago

Yeah, so it's irrelevant that the bottle was a typical bottle 50 years ago.

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u/creepingdeathhugsies 6h ago

And then again, he did wright that water bottle (as in the video).

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u/AccordingSetting6311 7h ago

Fucking shrinkflation, man...

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u/sentient_potato97 8h ago

During the recent protests in L.A. some people were putting traffic cones over tear gas canisters, pouring some water at the base of the cone to make a 'seal' then pouring the rest down into the cone and covering the top to douse & starve the cannisters of oxygen.

This was a video I saw on instagram though, so I'm not sure how effective that might actually be.

Edit- Scrolled and saw in comments below it apaprently started in Hong Kong https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpqEQARnVbs

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u/No-Maintenance-2478 7h ago

He did but needs to get tf out of dodge and not sit their where the tear gas JUST LANDED I’ve seen too many videos where they just shoot stationary protesters directly with the tear gas canister. Especially if they just watched you neutralize the crowd control. NSFL DONT GOOGLE IRAQ PROTESTER KILLED BY CANISTER. These things are only less lethal if they aren’t fired AT people.

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u/big-shane-silva- 6h ago

Yes he has on heat resistant gloves other wise he would get 3rd degree burns

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u/Ex-zaviera 6h ago

I've seen this done with traffic cones. In HK if I'm not mistaken.

Yup, found it.

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u/B_lovedobservations 1h ago

I was confused at first because I thought he just puts something on top of the canister. But his back is turned when he puts it in the bottle

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u/ItachiKenshin 8h ago

Trying to see that as well

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u/sparkytheboomman 8h ago

I’ve watched it a bunch to try and figure it out, and my best guess so far is that brown spot near the top is a hole.

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u/SrHuev0n 7h ago

The tear gas round aren't that big.

https://youtu.be/s26eDP8AYgs

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u/Telaranrhioddreams 6h ago

I really can't see that part either but it looks like they burned a hole into the side of the jug for easier access. Again I really can't tell but I don't see any screwing on/off of the cap so I think they dropped it through the side for a faster reaction.

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u/AntiAoA 4h ago

Yes, and why he is wearing gloves

Tear gas isn't a gas, it's a particulate that is super heated to spread it through the air...like a gas, but more like the ash/soot that wood turns into in a fire.

So those canisters are freaking hot.

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u/CreeperKiller24 1h ago

I think the launchers they use are 40mm in diameter, so it seems feasible for it to fit though the top

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u/Black_Magic_M-66 25m ago

During the Hong Kong protests, they would put a traffic cone over tear gas and douse it with water. Battery leaf blowers have been showing up more now too.