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Why So Many Hate Crime Hoaxes?

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Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., not only believed black and openly gay actor Jussie Smollett's tale of being attacked by two N-word-spouting homophobic Trump-supporters, she -- and many other big-name Democrats -- knew exactly whom to blame.

Waters said: "I know Jussie. I love him. His family's a friend of mine. I know his sisters, I met his mom and I called already to Jazz, one of the sisters, to talk to her about what's happening, what's going on. ... I'm pleased that he's doing okay. But we have to understand this is happening for a reason. Why, all of a sudden, do we have people unable to study while black, unable to mow a lawn while black, unable to have a picnic while black, and being attacked? It's coming from the President of the United States. He's dog whistling every day. He's separating and dividing, and he is basically emboldening those folks who feel this way."

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who became famous by falsely accusing an assistant district attorney of raping a black teenage girl, weighed in. He said: "[The Smollett attack] is only a reminder of the times that we are living in, that people feel empowered to express their hate and feel there will be no accountability. ... The President should have said, 'My brand shouldn't stand for that.' This hate-filled climate is set by ... the President of the United States, who gets the award for climate setting, if he is not at fault for a direct act."

The Rev. Jesse Jackson released a statement: "Hatred against another simply because of who they are is like acid rain. It falls from the top down and pollutes the environment." Former Vice President Joe Biden tweeted: "What happened today to @JussieSmollett must never be tolerated in this country. We must stand up and demand that we no longer give this hate safe harbor; that homophobia and racism have no place on our streets or in our hearts." Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., in a tweet, called the alleged attack "a modern day lynching."

Isn't it good news that the story is alleged to be false? Isn't it good news that Trump-supporting goons are not patrolling the streets at night, armed with bleach and a noose, to find, attack, whitewash and lynch black and gay Trump-bashers? A PeopleTV host actually said she was "hoping" and "praying" that Smollett's story was true.

Why did so many uncritically buy Smollett's story? One reason is that an Axios poll last November found that 61 percent of Democrats believe Republicans are "racist/ bigoted/sexist." Thirty-one percent of Republicans feel that way about Democrats. And most Democrats and members of the media believe Trump is a racist. So why doubt such a juicy story that falsely advances two narratives? Trump is Exhibit A that racism remains a major problem in America. And if Trump is a "racist," therefore so are his supporters.

But what does it say about America's alleged "systemic," "structural" and "institutional" racism when, in 2019, the cupboard is so bare that "racist attacks" have to be manufactured? Last year, in a span of a few weeks, three black motorists claimed they were victims of racism by the white cops who pulled them over. One, a reverend, was the president of a local branch of the NAACP. He posted on social media a long, detailed description of the alleged interaction with the cop whom he claimed racially profiled him and made harassing comments. A black female motorist took to social media to say she had a "traumatic experience" in Virginia when she was pulled over for speeding and "threatened" by a "white cop, who "degraded" her "as an African-American." And a viral post by a civil rights "activist" claimed a Texas trooper sexually assaulted another black woman following a traffic stop and then arrested her for DUI. But they were all unaware that they were being recorded. The tapes show all three were lying. The cops involved were courteous, polite and respectful. The black motorists lied about the white cops. But if not for the recordings, who knows what might have happened to the careers of the officers.

As to the belief that racism remains a serious problem in America, can we agree that nirvana is not an option? In a nation of 330 million people, bad actors abound. After all, one survey in 2017 found that 7 percent of adult Americans believe chocolate milk comes from brown cows. That works out to over 17 million adults. And a 1997 Gallup poll found that 4 percent of Americans believed Elvis was still alive.

But today's definition of "race relations" pretty much comes down to this: how black people feel about white people and how white people feel about how black people feel about white people. Racism has so receded as an impediment to progress that new terms became necessary to describe offensive "racist" behavior, such as "microaggressions." This means whites are racist, even if they don't think they are, because of their "white privilege." If white people spent as much time thinking about how to oppress black people as black people think they do, white people wouldn't have enough time to oppress black people.

COPYRIGHT 2019 LAURENCE A. ELDER
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U.S. condemns New Zealand mosque attack as ‘vicious act of hate’

Shattered car window following a shooting at the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch
Shattered car window following a shooting at the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch,New Zealand, March 15, 2019. REUTERS/SNPA/Martin Hunter

March 15, 2019

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump condemned the “horrible massacre” at two mosques in New Zealand on Friday, a deadly attack that killed 49 people in what the White House called a “vicious act of hate.”

The massacre during Friday prayers wounded more than 40 others in the country’s worst-ever mass shooting, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern condemned as terrorism.

“My warmest sympathy and best wishes goes out to the people of New Zealand after the horrible massacre in the Mosques. 49 innocent people have so senselessly died, with so many more seriously injured. The U.S. stands by New Zealand for anything we can do,” Trump wrote in a post on Twitter.

Earlier, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that the United States strongly condemned the attack.

“The United States strongly condemns the attack in Christchurch. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with the people of New Zealand and their government against this vicious act of hate,” Sanders said.

(Reporting by Roberta Rampton and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jeffrey Benkoe)

Source: OANN

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Diabetic inmate with HIV died after being left on cell floor for 21 hours without food or medicine, inquest reveals

An inmate has died at a jail in the United Kingdom after being left lying on the ground of her cell without food or medicine for nearly a day, according to an inquest.

Annabella Landsberg, who was diabetic and HIV positive, was reportedly restrained by four officers at HMP Peterborough in southeast England on Sept. 2, 2017. She was asked to stand up to receive her medication, but said she couldn't because she was having difficulty standing. One officer, Amy Moore, said when she attempted to step over Landsberg, the inmate grabbed her legs, which was when the other officers restrained her as she lay on the ground.

“She said her legs wouldn’t work, so she couldn’t stand up, and she was reaching at the sink. She was kicking her legs about, backwards and forwards. I thought she was trying to be difficult for staff,” Officer Amy Moore said, according to The Guardian.

She was then left overnight under observation by guards, who said she was "mumbling incoherently" throughout the night but was breathing and moving. No one, however, went to check on her during those 21 hours.

COP ARRESTED, ACCUSED OF VIDEO-TAPING A MAN'S EXPOSED GENITALS AND SHOWING HERSELF MAKING A 'MENTALLY ILL' PERSON TWERK

FAMILY SUING OVER GRATEFUL DEAD MEGA-FAN AND POT GROWER WHO AWS CRUSHED TO DEATH BY POLICE DRIVING A BULLDOZER

During an inquest following an investigation into her death, it was revealed that the on-duty prison nurse threw water on Landsberg as she lay on the ground, and referred to her as "pathetic."

She was taken to the hospital, where she died three days later. The 45-year-old mother of three was sent to jail on antisocial behavior charges in 2014, a designation that includes a wide array of crimes ranging from public urination to drug dealing. She was serving a four-year sentence for crimes committed under a suspended sentence, BBC reports.

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She reportedly fled to the United Kingdom from her native Zimbabwe after being gang raped there. According to her sister Sandra, Landsberg's mental capacity and health deteriorated significantly after she was diagnosed with HIV in 2007.

The inquest into her death is still ongoing.

Source: Fox News World

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Police: Chicago officer shot, one person in custody

Chicago police say an officer was shot while executing a warrant and one person was taken into custody.

Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson says the incident happened Saturday night on the city's West Side as police attempted to execute a warrant for narcotics and illegal weapons. Johnson says a shot was fired through a rear door and the 34-year-old officer was struck in the shoulder.

The officer was transported to a nearby hospital. Johnson says he is in stable but critical condition, and he's in "good spirits."

Police say a woman was taken into custody. Additional details about her were not immediately available.

Johnson says the officer has been on the job for more than 4 years and was a U.S. Marine before joining the department.

Source: Fox News National

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Police probe possible hate symbols at Arizona synagogue

Flagstaff police are investigating what they say appear to be hate symbols at a synagogue.

Officers responded to the Chabad of Flagstaff on Monday and found multiple rooms damaged.

Police say paint smeared on windows and carvings in a wall appeared to be swastikas. The symbols aren't well-defined in photos released by the Flagstaff Police Department.

Rabbi Dovie Shapiro says the Jewish community is shocked and disturbed by what he called an act of hate.

Police say the damage occurred sometime between Friday and Monday when a construction crew working at the site was off-duty.

Police spokesman Sgt. Charles Hernandez says officers have collected fingerprints, biological evidence and video footage to try to determine who is responsible. He says the damage is at least $1,000.

Police don't believe anything was stolen from the property.

Source: Fox News National

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Rand Paul: ‘FBI Mistress’ Lisa Page Confirmed ‘Fake Russia Investigation’

Fired FBI lawyer Lisa Page confirmed in recently released transcripts that the Russia investigation was “fake” and “anti-Trump insurance policy” against the president, according to Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.).

“This deserves more attention! FBI Mistress, Lisa Page, confirmed to House Judiciary, there was an anti-Trump Insurance Policy and it’s the fake Russian investigation!” Paul tweeted Wednesday.

“She admits there was almost no evidence on collusion, yet they continued with WITCH HUNT!”

Transcripts of Page’s closed-door testimony to a joint congressional task force last year were released on Tuesday, and members of Congress are just beginning to learn of some stunning key facts.

For example, Page revealed that the FBI was indeed inclined to indict Hillary Clinton with “gross negligence” over the handling of her secret servers, but the Department of Justice ordered the Bureau not to pursue charges.

This is consistent with 2016 reports that former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who headed the DOJ, may have struck a deal with Hillary’s husband Bill Clinton in a secret tarmac meeting just days before former FBI Director James Comey announced his decision not to charge her.

Additionally, Page claims her lover, FBI special agent Peter Strzok helped launch the investigation with impeachment of Trump and a promotion for himself as the end goal.

Strzok was hesitant to enter Special Counsel Mueller’s probe because he worried it may not end with impeachment, which could have hampered his “long-term prospects,” Page said.

She said Strzok told her, “If this is going to fizzle out and be nothing, then I shouldn’t sort of sacrifice my sort of long-term career prospects. If it’s going to end in impeachment, that’s kind of a big deal. I mean, put aside who it is, put aside how we feel about it. You know, that’s monumental.”


Adam Schiff now says he will hold off on impeaching President Trump, because the Mueller probe will most likely show no Russian collusion. Owen exposes the hypocrisy of those that have pushed the fake Russian collusion narrative.

Source: InfoWars

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Xerox – yes, Xerox – leads 2019 gains in S&P tech index

The company logo for Xerox is displayed on a screen on the floor of the NYSE in New York
The company logo for Xerox is displayed on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., March 11, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

March 12, 2019

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – ** Xerox Corp is leading the S&P 500 information technology index so far in 2019, boasting a gain of 57.4 pct as the printer maker plans to restructure

** Programmable chipmaker Xilinx is up 43.6 pct YTD, the second-best performer in the S&P tech index, which itself is up 15.5 pct YTD, leading the other 10 S&P sectors

** 112-year old XRX said on Mar 7 that it would become a wholly owned unit of a new holding company, with the new company trading under its current XRX ticker

** In the last two quarters, XRX topped profit estimates and undertook initiatives to streamline its business under the new management

** XRX on Tuesday was down 0.3 pct, and it is up 4.6 pct over the past 12 months. It is trading at 8.2x expected earnings, vs its 5-year average of 7.3x, according to Refinitiv

(Reporting by Noel Randewich)

Source: OANN

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FILE PHOTO - A worker sits on a ship carrying containers at Mundra Port in the western Indian state of Gujarat
FILE PHOTO: A worker sits on a ship carrying containers at Mundra Port in the western Indian state of Gujarat April 1, 2014. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo

April 26, 2019

(Reuters) – India has once again delayed the implementation of higher tariffs on some goods imported from the United States to May 15, a government official said on Friday.

The new tariff structure was to come into force from May 2, the spokeswoman said without citing reasons for the delay.

Angered by Washington’s refusal to exempt it from new steel and aluminum tariffs, New Delhi decided in June last year to raise the import tax from Aug. 4 on some U.S. products including almonds, walnuts and apples.

But since then, New Delhi has repeatedly delayed the implementation of the new tariff.

Trade friction between India and the U.S. has escalated after U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans earlier this year to end preferential trade treatment for India that allows duty-free entry for up to $5.6 billion worth of its exports to the United States.

In a further blow, U.S. on Monday demanded buyers of Iranian oil stop purchases by May or face sanctions, ending six months of waivers which allowed Iran’s eight biggest buyers including India to continue importing limited volumes.

(Reporting by Manoj Kumar in New Delhi and Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D’Silva and Raissa Kasolowsky)

Source: OANN

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One of Joe Biden’s newly-hired senior advisers has seemingly had a very recent change of heart.

Symone Sanders, a prominent Democratic strategist and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., staffer in 2016, was announced as one of the big-name members of Team Biden on Thursday.

But Sanders, who has also served as a CNN contributor, is seen in resurfaced footage from November 2016 expressing her opposition to a white person leading her party after Donald Trump’s election.

“In my opinion, we don’t need white people leading the Democratic party right now,” Sanders told host Brianna Keilar during a discussion on Howard Dean potentially becoming DNC chairman.

BIDEN HIRES FORMER BERNIE SANDERS’ SPOKESPERSON AS SENIOR ADVISER

“The Democratic party is diverse, and it should be reflected as so in leadership and throughout the staff, at the highest levels. From the vice chairs to the secretaries all the way down to the people working in the offices at the DNC,” she said.

Sanders wrapped up her remarks by saying: “I want to hear more from everybody. I want to hear from the millennials and the brown folks.”

Footage of the interview was resurfaced by RealClearPolitics.

After news of her hiring broke on Thursday, Sanders backed her new boss on Twitter.

TRUMP ASSESSES 2020 DEMS; TAKES SWIPES AT BIDEN, SANDERS; DISMISSES HARRIS, O’ROURKE; SAYS HE’S ROOTING FOR BUTTIGIEG

“@JoeBiden & @DrBiden are a class act. Over the course of this campaign, Vice President Biden is going to make his case to the American ppl. He won’t always be perfect, but I believe he will get it right,” she wrote.

The hiring of Sanders has been viewed as another indication of the expected tough fight that Biden and Sanders are in for as the two frontrunners battle a deep Democratic field.

While Sanders himself didn’t torch Biden as he jumped into the race, it’s clear that many of his progressive supporters view the former vice president as a threat.

Biden’s entry into the race – at least in the early going – sets up a battle between himself and Sanders, who thanks to his fierce fight with eventual nominee Hillary Clinton for the 2016 Democratic nomination, enjoys name ID on the level of the former vice president.

BIDEN VOWS THAT ‘AMERICA IS COMING BACK,’ SPARKING ‘MAGA’ COMPARISONS

Justice Democrats — who also called Biden “out-of-touch” – is an increasingly influential group among the left of the party. They’ve championed progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York as well as Sanders. The group was founded by members of Sanders 2016 presidential campaign.

Biden has pushed back against the perception that he’s a moderate in a party that’s increasingly moving to the left. Earlier this month he described himself as an “Obama-Biden Democrat.”

And Biden said he’d stack his record against “anybody who has run or who is running now or who will run.”

Former Democratic National Committee chair Donna Brazile – a Fox News contributor – highlighted that “Joe Biden can occupy his own lane in large part because he’s earned it. He’s earned the right to call himself whatever.”

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But she emphasized that “elections are not about the past, they’re about the future…I do believe he has the right ingredients. The question is can he find enough people to help him stir the pot.”

Fox News Andrew O’Reilly contributed to this report.

Source: Fox News Politics

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Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh, who is facing increased calls for her immediate resignation, remains in poor health and is not “lucid” enough to decide whether to step down, her attorney told reporters late Thursday.

Steve Silverman, speaking outside one of Pugh’s residences which was raided by the FBI and IRS earlier in the day, said the embattled city leader could make a decision as early as next week.

“She is leaning toward making the best decision in the best interest in the citizens of Baltimore City,” he said, adding that Pugh has “several options” to consider.

“She just needs to be physically and mentally sound and lucid enough to make appropriate decisions.”

BALTIMORE MAYOR CATHERINE PUGH, ON LEAVE AMID BOOK PROBE, HAS HOMES AND CITY HALL OFFICE RAIDED BY FEDS

Silverman said Pugh met with a doctor at home Thursday and plans to do so again Friday, the Baltimore Sun reported.

In the latest image-tarnishing scandal for struggling Baltimore, the first-term Democratic mayor faces accusations that she used children’s book deals to cover up kickbacks for favorable treatment as a state lawmaker and city leader that earned her roughly $800,000 over several years.

BALTIMORE’S ACTING MAYOR SAYS HE ‘WOULD HATE TO SEE’ EMBATTLED MAYOR RETURN AFTER BOOK SCANDALS

As a state senator, 69-year-old Pugh sold $500,000 worth of her self-published “Healthy Holly” illustrated paperbacks to the University of Maryland Medical System, a major state employer whose board she sat on for nearly 20 years.

Baltimore police officers stand outside the house of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh in Baltimore, MD., Thursday, April 25, 2019. Agents with the FBI and IRS are gathering evidence inside the two homes of Pugh and also in City Hall. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Baltimore police officers stand outside the house of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh in Baltimore, MD., Thursday, April 25, 2019. Agents with the FBI and IRS are gathering evidence inside the two homes of Pugh and also in City Hall. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

UMMS reportedly paid Pugh for 100,000 copies of her books between 2011 and 2018 with the stated intention of distributing the books to schools and day care centers. But some 50,000 copies remain unaccounted for and officials are probing if they were even printed.

Pugh also made $300,000 in bulk sales to other customers including health carriers that did business with the city of Baltimore.

BALTIMORE CITY COUNCIL CALLS ON EMBATTLED MAYOR CATHERINE PUGH TO RESIGN IMMEDIATELY

The politically isolated Pugh slipped out of sight on April 1 after a hastily organized press conference where she called her no-contract book deals a “regrettable mistake.” That same day, Maryland’s governor called on the state prosecutor to investigate allegations of “self-dealing.”

Pugh took an indefinite leave of absence, citing her health deteriorating intensely after a bout with pneumonia.

Federal agents arrive at the Maryland Center for Adult Training in Baltimore. MD, Thursday, April 25, 2019. Agents with the FBI and IRS are gathering evidence inside the two homes of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh and in City Hall, as well as the office of her lawyer and the home of a top aide.

Federal agents arrive at the Maryland Center for Adult Training in Baltimore. MD, Thursday, April 25, 2019. Agents with the FBI and IRS are gathering evidence inside the two homes of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh and in City Hall, as well as the office of her lawyer and the home of a top aide. (Loyd Fox/Baltimore Sun via AP)

On Thursday morning, agents with the FBI and IRS searched her two Baltimore homes, her City Hall offices, and a nonprofit organization she once led. The home of at least one of Pugh’s aides was also scoured.

Silverman said federal agents also served a subpoena at his law firm, retrieving Pugh’s original financial records. They did not seek any attorney-client privileged communications, he said.

Pugh’s attorney said she was “emotionally extremely distraught” following the searches by FBI and IRS agents.

“There was nothing incriminating that came out of her home,” Silverman said.

UMMS spokesman Michael Schwartzberg told reporters that the medical system received a grand jury witness subpoena seeking documents and information related to Pugh.

Other probes against Pugh include a review by the city ethics board and the Maryland Insurance Administration.

BALTIMORE MAYOR’S $500G DEAL FOR ‘HEALTHY HOLLY’ CHILDREN’S BOOKS DRAWS SCRUTINY

In recent weeks, the calls for Pugh’s resignation have intensified with the strongest voice coming from Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, who did not mince words after Thursday’s early morning raids.

“Now more than ever, Baltimore City needs strong and responsible leadership. Mayor Pugh has lost the public trust,” he said. “She is clearly not fit to lead. For the good of the city, Mayor Pugh must resign.”

Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Internal Revenue Service agents search the home of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh in Baltimore, MD., Thursday, April 25, 2019. Agents with the FBI and IRS are gathering evidence inside the two homes of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh and in City Hall.

Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Internal Revenue Service agents search the home of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh in Baltimore, MD., Thursday, April 25, 2019. Agents with the FBI and IRS are gathering evidence inside the two homes of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh and in City Hall. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun via AP)

Many of her fellow Democrats, including those on Baltimore’s demoralized City Council and state lawmakers, are also insisting that Pugh put the citizens’ interests above any attempt to preserve her political career.

City Council member Brandon Scott called the Thursday raids “an embarrassment to the city.”

However, only a conviction can trigger a mayor’s removal from office, according to the city solicitor. Baltimore’s mayor-friendly City Charter currently provides no options for ousting its executive.

Six of Pugh’s staffers joined her on paid leave earlier this month; three of them were fired this week by the acting mayor.

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Pugh came to office in late 2016 after edging out ex-Mayor Sheila Dixon, who had spent much of her tenure fighting corruption charges before being forced to depart office in 2010 as part of a plea deal connected to the misappropriation of about $500 in gift cards meant for needy families.

She would certainly face a bruising 2020 Democratic primary if she were to return and run for reelection. Veteran City Council leader Bernard “Jack” Young, who is serving as acting mayor, said as she went on leave that he would merely be a placeholder. But this week, before the raids, he said “it could be devastating for her” if she tried to return.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: Fox News National

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Syria’s ambassador to the United Nations has blasted the United State and the European Union for imposing sanctions on his country, describing them as “economic terrorism.”

Bashar Ja’afari made his comments Friday in the Kazakh capital of Astana where Russia, Turkey and Iran held a new round of talks with the Syrian government and the opposition on steps to bring peace to the country.

His comments came as government-held parts of Syria are witnessing widespread fuel shortages that are largely the result of Western sanctions on Syria and its key ally Iran.

Ja’afari says: “This is economic terrorism that is escalating through unilateral economic measures.”

A final statement issued at the end of Astana’s 12th round rejected President Donald Trump’s formal recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over Syria’s occupied Golan Heights.

Source: Fox News World

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FILE PHOTO: Cases of Pepsi are shown for sale at a store in Carlsbad
FILE PHOTO: Cases of Pepsi are shown for sale at a store in Carlsbad, California, U.S., April 22, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo

April 26, 2019

By Amit Dave and Mayank Bhardwaj

AHMEDABAD/NEW DELHI (Reuters) – PepsiCo Inc has sued four Indian farmers for cultivating a potato variety that the snack food and drinks maker claims infringes its patent, the company and the growers said on Friday.

Pepsi has sued the farmers for cultivating the FC5 potato variety, exclusively grown for its popular Lay’s potato chips. The FC5 variety has a lower moisture content required to make snacks such as potato chips.

PepsiCo is seeking more than 10 million rupees ($142,840.82) each for alleged patent infringement.

The farmers grow potatoes in the western state of Gujarat, a leading producer of India’s most consumed vegetable.

“We have been growing potatoes for a long time and we didn’t face this problem ever, as we’ve mostly been using the seeds saved from one harvest to plant the next year’s crop,” said Bipin Patel, one of the four farmers sued by Pepsi.

Patel did not say how he came by the PepsiCo variety.

A court in Ahmedabad, the business hub of Gujarat, on Friday agreed to hear the case on June 12, said Anand Yagnik, the lawyer for the farmers.

“In this instance, we took judicial recourse against people who were illegally dealing in our registered variety,” A PepsiCo India spokesman said. “This was done to protect our rights and safeguard the larger interest of farmers that are engaged with us and who are using and benefiting from seeds of our registered variety.”

PepsiCo, which set up its first potato chips plant in India in 1989, supplies the FC5 potato variety to a group of farmers who in turn sell their produce to the company at a fixed price.

The All India Kisan Sabha, or All India Farmers’ Forum, has asked the Indian government to protect the farmers.

The farmers’ forum has also called for a boycott of PepsiCo’s Lay’s chips and the company’s other products.

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

PepsiCo is the second major U.S. company in India to face issues over patent infringement.

Stung by a long-standing intellectual property dispute, seed maker Monsanto, which is now owned by German drugmaker Bayer AG, withdrew from some businesses in India over a cotton-seed dispute with farmers, Reuters reported in 2017. (reut.rs/2ncBknn)

(Reporting by Amit Dave in AHMEDABAD and Mayank Bhardwaj in NEW DELHI; Editing by Martin Howell and Louise Heavens)

Source: OANN

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