Speechless
We’ve all seen (I hope) the video of the UC Davis Police pepper-spraying the OWS protesters who were sitting, arms-locked and — most importantly — peacefully, when the police decided that mistreating students was the most important thing they could do that day. (This video is 8+ minutes long and is an amazing document of the public reaction to this incident as well of the police retreating in full embarassment.)
There has been alot of commentary about this and calls for accountability — especially from the police LT. doing the pepper-spraying and from UC Davis Chancellor Katehi. The Chancellor gave a press conference (with students outside waiting to speak to her) and then would not leave the room, apparently trying to give the impression that she was being held there by the kids. The students – led by one of them who had been hurt by the pepper spray — created a wide path for her to walk from the building and sat down. When Katehi finally emerged from the building, this is what she was greeted with:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8775ZmNGFY8[/youtube]
An honest-to-goodness public shaming. Amazing. Powerful. Peaceful. This is the kind of thing that ought to genuinely plague people with a conscience.
Some of the commentary on this worth reading:
CBS News provides a long story that gives law enforcement alot of space to show how quickly and thoroughly they can defend any use of force. Some of this was really stomach-turning, especially when their expert points out the innocuous gestures that he thinks that police used to determine that more force was needed against the sitting students. As someone said recently, if you build a police state, they will use it against you.
James Fallows over at The Atlantic provides some great observations on the power of these images of police if riot gear (riot gear?) spraying these young people evokes some of the moral outrage of images of young black people being manhandled by police for being in places white people restricted them from. Make sure you go over and read that in its entirety. He links to some of his colleagues at The Atlantic who have been thinking about what this incident might mean in the country rethinking the permission it gives to police for violent and brutal responses to its citizens. Especially those who aren’t being violent and brutal in the first place.
The pepper-spraying policemen have been placed on leave.
So how is this being covered in the broadcast media? So far there hasn’t been much on the radio. Tell us what you think about this.
Tags: Occupy Wall Street, Police
Use of pepper spray on a passive resister is considered an acceptable use of force. Don’t know the details here, but if the crowd did not obey a lawful order to disperse, pepper spray would be a valid law enforcement response.
I am “just curious” are you a perfect asshole or still in training:)?
you obviously have no idea about police tactics
the use of pepper spray is NOT acceptable, it is a defensive tactic
for aggresive physical assault
for passive resistance, the tactic is passive removal
get real and learn the facts – I did and this is why –
my family fled a country where this was commonplace and I personally remember this violence well
I experienced this and my family suffered under it – I have always abhorred the thought of it here, and here it is
hmmmm – time to fight, or time to leave………
decision time, thats for sure
Pepper spray is only to be used to subdue someone who is actively threatening the officer. These kids were just sitting on the ground, not threatening anyone. This was NOT an acceptable use. If police officers think this acceptable, they need to be educated.
The officers involved should face not only termination, but also criminal charges. They should be charged with some type of assault. In addition, they should be charged with unlawful arrest, or kidnapping.
If enough police start getting charged for these abuses of power, we will see some improvements in their actions.
It is the natural outcome of a country and body politic that tortures people, initiates wars of aggression, imprisons more people per capita than any other country, has a corrupt electoral system, has a two-tiered justice system, is ruled by oligarchs, and has blind allegiance to politicians and political parties instead of principals and ideas.
It is nice to see you finally waking up to the reality of the American Police State.
“evokes some of the moral outrage of images of young black people being manhandled by police”
According to my unscientific and totally white-bread survey based largely on entertainment figures, black folks are saying “No shit, you white folks are just figuring this out now?”
Let’s be clear: Pepper-spraying nonviolent protesters is, specifically, illegal.
http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-9th-circuit/1332957.html
Relevant text: “…alleging that the officers’ use of pepper spray on the activists’ eyes and faces during three peaceful protests constituted an excessive use of force in violation of their Fourth Amendment rights.”
“…in light of Saucier v. Katz, 533 U.S. 194, 121 S.Ct. 2151, 150 L.Ed.2d 272 (2001), in which the Supreme Court describes the way in which to proceed when state officials assert qualified immunity in a § 1983 excessive force action. Having reviewed the facts and circumstances of this case in light of Saucier, this panel reaffirms its conclusion that Lewis and Philip are not entitled to qualified immunity.
Interesting follow up to the walk out by the Chancellor: http://wp.me/p8oGZ-43o
Let’s stop kidding ourselves. This is all the Republicans fault.
Actually, JustSomeGuy, I am a certifed asshole. I have certification from the Council On Asshole Training (C.O.A.T) as well as in service training from the Delaware State Asshole Academy (DSA Academy) and the Federal Lead Asshole Training Center (FLATC) at Glynco. 😉
In any event, as with any use of force, the circumstances to that specific event will dictate what level of force is appropriate. The lowest level of force necessary is the accepted standard. It is the agency’s use of force model that will determine where OC spray can be legitimately utilized. That will differ from agency to agency, in Delaware the two largest law enforcement organizations have differing standards as to when OC spray can be used.
The police chief at Davis has been placed on administrative leave, officially so the investigation can proceed but more likely because she of the big fat lie she told about her officers being surrounded. I’ve read so many interesting pieces about the transformation of police agencies from peace officers to miniature armies since 9/11, and it’s hard to argue.
Faux and Friends say “pepper spray is a food”, I guess like “mustard gas”..