Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. protests the outsourcing of jobs in Freeport, Ill. (CBS)
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FREEPORT, Ill. (CBS) – Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. was among 16 people arrested Wednesday during a protest at a Freeport, Ill. plant.
Chanting and carrying American flags, Jackson and dozens of protestors marched to Sensata to object to the purported outsourcing of jobs to China.
Jackson was the first of about a dozen to be handcuffed.
“When these workers lose their jobs, they’ll lose their homes, they’ll lose their cars, they can’t keep their kids in school,” he said earlier. “They’ll lose their way of life.”
Sixteen people, including the civil-rights icon, were arrested for criminal trespass to land, and all were processed and released in less than an hour, Freeport Police Chief Jerry Whitmore said. The arrestees were expected to appear in court Nov. 28.
Sensata is owned by Bain Capital. The story has caused trouble for presidential candidate Mitt Romney because he owns stock in the company.
Workers have followed the Republican across the country asking him to help save their jobs.
