Belgrade | September 14, 2025 — Students from the Faculty of Sciences (PMF) in Novi Sad announced that an independent laboratory analysis confirmed police used CN gas during the September 5 protests, in addition to the more common CS gas.
Toxic Gas Confirmed
According to the students’ statement:
- CS gas (2-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile) and CN gas (chloroacetophenone) were detected in the samples.
- CN gas is considered highly toxic, posing risks to eyes, lungs, and cornea damage.
- Due to its severe health effects, CN was banned worldwide in the 1970s and replaced by CS gas for crowd control.
“The use of CN gas is not crowd control — it is poisoning citizens,” students declared, demanding a criminal investigation against those responsible.
Evidence Collected
Students organized the collection of dozens of spent gas canisters, some with removed markings, and submitted them for testing using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), a standard accredited method worldwide.
They also noted unusual police behavior: officers were seen using flashlights to retrieve canisters immediately after the protest, raising suspicions of a cover-up.
Call for Accountability
The student group urged:
- Transparency from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP)
- Protection measures for citizens and officers, recommending filter masks as the only effective defense against CN and CS gases
- A willingness to hand over collected samples for further independent testing
“We are not afraid of the truth. Will the authorities finally show transparency, or continue to hide what the public has the right to know?” students asked.
Background
On the night of September 5, police cracked down on demonstrators in the Novi Sad university campus. Alongside protesters, several officers were also seen vomiting after exposure to the tear gas, further confirming the severity of the agents used.
