BBC investigation reveals that Georgian police used a World War One-era chemical called camite against protesters in Tbilisi during 2024. Many protesters said water cannons sprayed on them caused a burning feeling that could not be washed off immediately. They also reported coughing, vomiting, and breathing problems lasting weeks. The protests began after the government paused its EU membership efforts, angering citizens. A paediatrician involved in the protests, Dr Konstantine Chakhunashvili, collected data from 350 victims showing lasting health effects and heart signal abnormalities. He published his findings in a toxicology journal. Whistleblowers from Georgia's riot police confirmed a chemical agent was added to water cannon sprays, much stronger than normal tear gas (CS gas). Lasha Shergelashvili, a former weapons expert, said the chemical caused prolonged irritation and breathing difficulty. Documents reviewed by the BBC list two unnamed chemicals linked to the water cannon. Experts identified one as trichloroethylene (a solvent) and the other as likely bromobenzyl cyanide or camite, a gas used in World War One. Professor Christopher Holstege, a toxicology expert, confirmed that symptoms matched exposure to camite and ruled out usual riot gases. Camite's effects are stronger and longer lasting, deterring crowds but posing health risks. It was banned decades ago due to its harmful long-term impact. International law permits only short-term agents for crowd control. UN Special Rapporteur Alice Edwards described this as an illegal and dangerous use of chemical agents on civilians and called for investigations under human rights laws. Georgia’s government dismissed the BBC findings as "absurd" and maintained police acted legally against "brutal criminals." Despite government crackdowns, protests continue nightly in Tbilisi, with citizens demanding political change and protesting alleged government abuses. The ruling party denies any pro-Russian bias or wrongdoing. The use of an obsolete chemical weapon on peaceful protesters has sparked international alarm.