I knew this would happens, not after I couldn't forget Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt that the tear gas canisters were sold by U.S. to these dictators. It makes me sick and tired of my own government and companies who are happy to reap the profit over people's suffering.

It doesn't belong in a Democracy. Can we get it off the market somehow?

Against citizens, not so much.

Found this on the googles:

It is not difficult to trace tear gas deployments back to corporate profiteers. Over the last 12 years Turkey has imported 62 tons of tear gases, spending $21 million. The gases being used on protesters are coming from at least two American companies — Defense Technology (in Casper, Wyo.) and Nonlethal Technologies (Homer, Pa.) — as well as one Brazilian company, Condor Non-Lethal Technologies in Rio de Janeiro. Activists and citizen-journalists in Turkey have been recording images identifying tear gas manufacturers over Twitter, Flickr and on blogs —a tactic frequently used in Egypt.

The all-too-familiar images of streets covered in toxic clouds should echo as a message from the trenches. Soldiers have known all too well that when tear gas fills the air, there is likely something more deadly to follow. Far from a humanitarian weapon, it is time that we see tear gas as a sign of just how inhumane capital-driven visions of keeping the peace have become.

http://indypendent.org/2013/06/05/what-turkey-reminds-us-about-tear-gas

nt

...being that we live in a country that is the world's greatest arms dealer. Tear gas money is what they use for petty cash. And all that shit about the U.S. being the champions of FREEDOM and JUSTICE is One Big Fucking LIE -- and fortunately that LIE is now starting to fall apart at the seams. And none too soon.

- It's time for the facades and the masks to fall away.....

K&R

Thanks for posting this, Coyotl. I had no idea.

I found this article about the tear gas that was shipped to Egypt. It suggests that the State Department can put an end to this by revoking the export licences of the manufacturers. Any American who does not want the U.S to contribute to police brutality abroad should write a letter to Secretary Kerry.

The canisters have warnings on them not to shoot directly at people, but the Turkish police appear to be paying little attention to this.