rails whitespace syntax error

gistfile1.txt

# this one will not work, it creates a syntax error

class ArticlesController < ApplicationController
  def new
  end
  
  def create
    render plain: params[:article].inspect
  end
end

but this does work...

class ArticlesController < ApplicationController
  def new
  end

  def create
    render plain: params[:article].inspect
  end
end

looking at the raw I see some characters

this one will not work, it creates a syntax error

class ArticlesController < ApplicationController
def new
end
 Â
def create
render plain: params[:article].inspect
  end
end

but this does work...

class ArticlesController < ApplicationController
def new
end

def create
render plain: params[:article].inspect
end
end

A unicode character is generated for white spaces that throws a syntax error.... perhaps sublime text editor did this?

articles_controller.rb:8: syntax error, unexpected end-of-input, expecting keyword_end

<%- and -%> suppress leading and trailing whitespace
Is this required to not receive the unicode characters?