Thread by @BenDoBrown

This shield used by US police to strike this @Channel7 journalist in Washington on June 1 was made in the UK.

This is a 🧵 on the visual forensics on just one of the cases from our #EUArms UK project with @LHreports, @bellingcat, @SkyNews & @guardian 👇

https://twitter.com/sunriseon7/status/1267587976986427393?s=20

The same shield with the police print can be seen being used against protestors on that same day in Washington.

That same branding and design can be seen on this image of Donald Trump walking past police in Lafayette Park on June 1, 2020.

This branding is present on all of the shields, including the one used to strike the cameraman. This figure below shows the match of the branding, as well as other distinctive features.

Close-up images of the shields show specific wording of the branding, and the logo, on the lower half of the shield

This branding is that of Scorpion PPE. The logo is a clear match to that on the company logo.

The website provides that the “Scorpion range is made entirely in the UK”.

In the consolidated criteria (PL5001.b) for arms exports of the UK, anti-riot / ballistic shields are subject to the arms export control regime.

The Scottish government has already called to immediately suspend the export of tear gas, rubber bullets and riot shields to the US after the violent responses to the George Floyd protests.
independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…

In a letter dated 24th July 2020 from the UK govt to a British legal firm which is contesting the use of UK riot gear being sold to USA tells us that: there is no clear risk, not to suspend, amend, or revoke licences and to recommence the assessment of pending apps.

That same letter (dpglaw.co.uk/wp-content/upl…) concluded that while it was a "possibility", there is "no evidence" that UK-made anti-riot gear was used by police during America's Black Lives Matter protests - so we've just shown that visual evidence.

Here is another one we identified. It's an Armadillo Shield - made in the UK. This time it's used by #HKPolice in #HongKong against protestors in the #HongKongProtests.

There is more on our findings reported by investigators at the UK Arms workshop @sanyaburgess and @victoriaelms from @SkyNews in this cracking #OSINT piece news.sky.com/story/the-scor…

And a piece from @msrmichaelson from @guardian who also worked with our #UKArms workshop with investigators @leone_hadavi @hspvn @questiionn01 @er_woods @LudoHekman @LorandBodo & Ross Higgins
theguardian.com/global-develop…