 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  • Jordan Miles civil and criminal cases go on, Rich Lord, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011  • Video: Protest Held at Mercer County Plant Over Tear Gas, WKBN - 27 First News, Monday, January 17th, 2011 • Christmas Bonus, Chris Young, Pittsburgh City Paper, Thursday, December 16th, 2010 • Turning the tables on BDS, By G. Steinberg and J. Edelstein, Jerusalem Post , Saturday, November 6th, 2010 • Pay Daze, Chris Young, Pittsburgh City Paper, Wednesday, August 11th, 2010 • Israeli ultra-rightist protested in Pittsburgh, Walter Smolarek, PSLWeb.org, Thursday, February 11th, 2010 • PULSE: 20 Top Global Media Figures of 2009, PULSE, Thursday, December 31st, 2009 • Wise guys, Marina Saint Martin, The Gold Coast Bulletin, Sunday, December 20th, 2009 |
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