THE U.K. Government has given the green light for the export of British tear gas and rubber bullets to the U.S. despite the continuing use of force against protesters — and warnings from the United Nations.

Whitehall officials secretly suspended the issue of new arms export licences to the U.S. for a month at the height of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations so a review could be carried out amid concerns about police conduct, The Independent revealed Tuesday.

But the review, which the government has refused to make public or comment on, concluded that the violence did not amount to “internal repression.”

U.S. police have used gas and rubber bullets against peaceful protesters and also targeted journalists since the beginning of the protests sparked by the death of George Floyd.

Detention of protesters by unidentified federal officers in Portland, Oregon, sparked condemnation last week from Liz Throssell, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, who warned the actions could give rise to human rights violations.

More than 70 journalists — including The Independent’s Chief U.S. Correspondent Andrew Buncombe — have also been arrested during the protests.(SD-Agencies)