 in the press Video: Protest Held at Mercer County Plant Over Tear Gas A Mercer County company is manufacturing and selling a type of tear gas to law enforcement agencies around the world. Monday, a group of protesters gathered outside of that facility, upset that the company is allegedly selling that product to Israeli military forces who are in turn using it against Palestinians. Combined Systems Incorporated, or CSI, based in Jamestown, Pa., manufactures and sells what they call less-lethal weapons to law enforcement. One of those products is a type of tear gas called CS. The product is banned for use during war by the Geneva convention. Monday, the Palestinian supporters claimed CSI sells that product to the Israeli military. "These technologies are usually described as less lethal," said Nigel Parry, of the Palestine Solidarity Committee in Pittsburgh. "They are not non-lethal by any means. In Israel, you often go to these demonstrations and clashes and see these used in ways that are contrary to manufacturer recommendations." The protesters don't think the company should be doing business with Israel at all. "The owners of CSI treat their workers like slaves, and they treat the Palestinians like target practice," said Werner Lange, of the Coalition for Peace in the Middle East. "We want this gross injustice to end, and we want it to end now." "I don't think American businesses should be dealing with, giving weapons to, a company [sic: should be "country"] that's conducting military occupation of foreign land," said Parry.
The folks outside said the timing of their protest, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, was no coincidence. "Reverend King gave his life and devoted his life to peace and justice," said Lange. "We're here to demand peace in the Middle East; to the end of the killing of Palestinian protesters by chemicals produced at this plant." 
more from this section  • Pittsburgh's Mellon Green finally unoccupied, Bill Vidonic, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Thursday, February 9th, 2012  • The revolution will be televised, streamed and uploaded, Amanda Lin Costa, European Journalism Centre, Thursday, January 26th, 2012 • Living our Lives project: Nigel Parry, Patrick Young, LivingOurLives.net, Friday, January 13th, 2012 • 'It's All Political': Eviction and Arrests of Global Revolution Livestreamers Part of Pattern of Crackdowns on Alternative Living, Kristen Gwynne, AlterNet, Wednesday, January 4th, 2012 • Occupy Livestream Operators Will Be Homeless After They Get Out of Jail, Adam Martin, The Atlantic Wire, Wednesday, January 4th, 2012 • Off the grid: Occupy Pittsburgh gets charged up the natural way, Darlene White Natale, Point Park News Service, Sunday, November 6th, 2011 • #OccupyPGH Day 1: Interview with Global Revolution's Nigel Parry, Eric Byler, Coffee Party, Saturday, October 15th, 2011 • Facts and myths in the WikiLeaks/Guardian saga, Glenn Greenwald, Salon.com, Friday, September 2nd, 2011 |
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