This is what happened on September 2, 1986 when we released a tear gas canister at the Soviet Moisheyev Ballet. The audience of 4000 left Lincoln Center coughing and in tears from the tear gas. But 50 Soviet diplomats and performers, including the Soviet ambassador to the U.S. in Washington and the Soviet ambassador to the UN, refused to leave. They said that they would not allow "Zionist hoodlums" to disrupt their concert. All of them collapsed from the gas and had to be hospitalized overnight.
Naturally, this caused tremendous tension in Soviet-American relations. This was the most famous and effective action in the history of the Soviet Jewry movement. It was the turning point in our struggle to free our brothers and sisters behind the Iron Curtain.