Key facts
- The Orchestre du Nouveau Monde (ONM) was teargassed by riot police in Paris last Saturday.
- Conductor Étienne Jarrier stated teargas canisters landed in instrument cases and started fires.
- Jarrier described the incident as a "serious shift in maintaining order".
The Orchestre du Nouveau Monde (ONM), a Paris-based ensemble of volunteer musicians, was performing at a protest in Place de la République last Saturday when riot police deployed teargas. Conductor Étienne Jarrier told The Guardian that teargas canisters landed in instrument cases and started fires, forcing the orchestra to stop playing after about 20 minutes. Jarrier described the incident as a "serious shift in maintaining order" and an "alarm signal".