An American company has created controversy by marketing Lego-like kits to cover real pistols, while firearms kill hundreds of children in the United States each year.
This initiative prompted the Danish toy manufacturer to send a letter of formal notice to the company in question.
"Our organization contacted Lego, which then sent a letter of formal notice to the irresponsible arms manufacturer
,
"
Shannon Watts, founder of the Moms Demand Action association, which campaigns for stronger legislation on Twitter, said Tuesday, July 13, on Twitter. arms.
Read also: United States: Biden proclaims more gun controls
Red, yellow and blue bricks: dangerously resembling a toy, the semi-automatic weapon thus personalized by the company Culper Precision, which is located in Utah, in the western United States, was named " Block19 ”, and costs between $ 549 and $ 765.
"Here's one of our childhood dreams come true,"
explained the company in a publication promoting "Block19", posted on Instagram on June 24.
“The guns are cool. To shoot with a weapon is nice ”
, one could also read on its Internet site in a page dedicated to the product and now deleted.
“It is irresponsible and dangerous beyond imaginable. Even when the guns don't look like toys, kids can use them, ”
Watts tweeted Tuesday.
"In 2021, more than 165 accidental shootings by children took place,"
she added, based on figures from the Everytown organization.
Last year 142 people died after "unintentional shooting" of children or minors, according to the same source.
Read also: United States: in Richmond, its Boogaloo Bois, its Proud Boys and other armed extremists
Culper Precision president Brandon Scott confirmed to the
Washington Post that he
had received Lego's formal notice and decided to comply with their demands, after having sold less than twenty “Block19” pistols. This controversy comes at a time when President Joe Biden has made the fight against the
"epidemic"
of gun violence in the United States one of the priorities of his mandate. The Democratic President presented measures in June to limit the proliferation of firearms at the federal level, but Congress is very divided and the Democrats are struggling to make things happen.