Gwynedd MP calls for ban on riot control exports to USA amid fears they could be used on peaceful protesters

A North Wales MP is urging the UK Government to block the sales of tear gas, rubber bullets and riot shields to the United States, citing fears that they could be used against peaceful protesters.

In a letter to the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, Plaid Cymru’s Hywel Williams also requested that he “explicitly condemn” President Trump’s use of force, including the threat of lethal military action against his own citizens.

An online petition urging a block on such sales has already garnered over 200,000 signatures, describing the continued supply of tear gas, rubber bullets and riot shields to the United States as “choosing profit over human rights.”

Sparked following the death of African-American George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota last week, forces in the USA have faced criticism for the methods used to tackle the various bouts of civil unrest, being seen to use batons, tear gas and shields against usually unarmed protesters.

White police officer Derek Chauvin has since been charged with second-degree murder  after footage was unearthed of him refusing to lift his knee from Mr Floyd’s neck, despite him saying he could not breathe.

But with a licence from the Department for International Trade required in order to allow British businesses to export arms, Arfon MP Hywel Williams has urged the Foreign and Commonweath Office to intervene.

Noting that US police forces have “brutally repressed peaceful protesters,” Mr Williams urged Mr Raab to take a lead, claiming that being “silent in the face of such a blatant misuse of force is to be complicit.”

His letter went on to state: “You should immediately freeze all policing and security equipment export licences to the United States where there is a clear risk of further misuse.

“As Amnesty International, among others, have pointed out, UK Government records show it grants export licences worth millions of pounds for the sale of anti-crowd gas, riot equipment, rubber bullets and other arms to the US.

“Arms export guidelines introduced in 1997 say licences should not be approved if the equipment could be used for ‘internal repression’ or ‘provoke or prolong armed conflicts or aggravate tensions in the destination country’.

“In the past, your predecessors have suspended the sale of tear gas and rubber bullets to countries that misuse them, including during violence in Hong Kong a year ago.

“It is your duty now to ensure that the UK does not – directly or indirectly – contribute to internal repression in the United States.”

President Trump has come under fire for his reaction to the civil unrest, with former Defence Secretary James Mattis claiming that he “deliberately stoked division.”

In a tweet, President Trump blamed the violence on a lack of leadership in Minneapolis and threatened to send in the National Guard.

This was followed up with a warning “when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” later hidden by Twitter for “glorifying violence”.

During Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that he understood the strength of feeling over Mr Floyd’s “appalling” death, but stressed that demonstrators should always remain within the law.

He added, “All exports are conducted in accordance with a consolidated guidance and the UK is possibly the most scrupulous country in that respect in the world”.

A government spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service, “We take our export responsibilities seriously and assess export licence applications in accordance with strict licensing criteria.”

By Gareth Williams – Local Democracy Reporter