French Police Target Peaceful Orchestra with Teargas in Paris A shocking incident occurred in Paris last week when the New World Orchestra, a group of musicians, was targeted by French police with teargas while performing in a peaceful gathering. The orchestra, led by conductor Étienne Jarrier, was playing in the Place de la République when riot police encircled the area and began firing teargas canisters to disperse the crowd. Despite the chaos, the orchestra continued to play, even after the crowd had dispersed and the teargas was being fired directly into the square. It was only when the musicians noticed that the teargas was landing in their instruments and music stands, causing fires, that they were forced to stop playing. According to Jarrier, the situation was extremely dangerous, with teargas canisters landing in the double bass and music stand cases, starting fires that the musicians had to stamp out. The incident has sparked outrage among the musical community and human rights activists, who see it as a clear example of excessive force being used against peaceful protesters. The use of teargas against the orchestra raises questions about the French police's approach to crowd control and their willingness to target non-violent gatherings.