UK Lawmaker Says Sales Of Tear Gas, Rubber Bullets To US Should Be Suspended

The United Kingdom should refrain from selling riot shields, rubber bullets and tear gas to the United States amid human rights violations during the ongoing George Floyd protests, Tim Farron, a lawmaker representing Liberal Democrats, said on Friday, adding that he wrote a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and demanded immediate action

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th June, 2020) The United Kingdom should refrain from selling riot shields, rubber bullets and tear gas to the United States amid human rights violations during the ongoing George Floyd protests, Tim Farron, a lawmaker representing Liberal Democrats, said on Friday, adding that he wrote a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and demanded immediate action.

"I've written to the Prime Minister to demand he immediately suspends the sales of tear gas, rubber bullets, and riot shields to the US. Our country must not turn a blind eye to the blatant violation of human rights taking place against those who peacefully protest for justice," Farron tweeted.

According to UK government documents, London exports tear gas, crowd control ammunition and smoke canisters to the US, and the UK has approved such sale licenses to the US law enforcement agencies and military.

Details over quantities are not provided.

On May 25, George Floyd, an African American man, died in Minneapolis police custody. A video of the arrest showed a white police officer pressing his knee onto Floyd's neck for at least eight minutes while the African American man was kept handcuffed on his stomach, repeatedly saying he could not breathe. The incident triggered protests against police brutality and racism in various cities across the US. Solidarity demonstrations have been held in many other countries, including the UK.