Three arrested outside Textron

PROTESTERS FROM the FANG Collective are seen outside Textron Inc.'s headquarters in Providence Thursday. / PBN PHOTO/ELI SHERMAN
PROTESTERS FROM the FANG Collective are seen outside Textron Inc.'s headquarters in Providence Thursday. / PBN PHOTO/ELI SHERMAN

(Updated 3:06 p.m.)
PROVIDENCE – Three people were arrested outside Textron Inc. on Westminster Street Thursday after blocking the entrance to the company. Two of them used bicycle locks to chain their necks to doors at the entrance.
Nick Katkevich, spokesman for the FANG Collective, which organized the protest, confirmed that three people in his group were arrested: Pia Ward, Mark Baumer and Lee Stewart. He said Ward and Stewart used bicycle locks to lock their necks to doors at the building’s entrance, while Baumer stationed himself inside the revolving door.
Police said they were charged with obstruction of a lawful pursuit.
Katkevich said the protest was held to bring attention to the link between climate change and the U.S. military, as Textron is a weapons and defense contractor.
“The U.S. military is one of the biggest consumers of fossil fuels,” Katkevich said.
The group also protested Textron’s production and sale of cluster bombs. The group said cluster bombs have been recently connected to civilian casualties in Yemen.
A banner deployed near the building by the protesters read, “Textron Stop Killing and Maiming Civilians.”

Textron spokesman Dave Sylvestre declined to comment.

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