UC Davis protestors get pepper sprayed big time

[006]

Discuss.

 

[SocialNumb]

I saw this the other day. Pretty fucked up. Some people are arguing that because they're on private property the cops had the right to do that. I'm not sure what the deal is though to be honest. Either way, shit is fucked up and I'd like to see that cop get his ass kicked.

 

[006]

Well, the protesters never obtained a permit to assemble there. They were given 12 hours to vacate or they would be forcibly removed. So they didn't comply and now you have this video.

The truth is, these people are in the wrong here. The cops did everything by the book.

Professional victims just getting attention... they didn't follow the rules, they knew exactly what would happen. They wanted the cops to come pepper spray them, exactly for the purpose of trying to support their cause and message. The problem is that the cops did nothing wrong, in this case.

 

[SocialNumb]

I can't argue with that. I just think the pepper spray was unnecessary. Why didn't they just handcuff them and take them in? looks easy enough to me.

 

[Leavit]

i don't care about the book. Thats fucked up period

 

[roy22341]

The cycle goes something like this:

1. Somewhere a cop overreacts to a situation and either arrests, peppersprays or otherwise harms someone who really did nothing wrong.
2. Tensions rise.
3. Somewhere else, a protester throws a rock or something at a cop who has really done nothing wrong.
4. Tensions rise.
5. Somewhere else, a cop overreacts to a situation and either arrests, peppersprays or otherwise harms someone who really did nothing wrong.
6. Tensions rise.
...repeat (you can start at step 1 or 3, it makes no difference).

Meanwhile, the media and politicians who stand on the sidelines (usually basking in the fact that they have a news story to cover) praise the protesters as victims whose rights have been violated worse than those of civil rights movement and demonize the cops as the new embodiment of the rich gestapo or (if they happen to be of a different political stripe) denounce the protesters as socialist, violent criminals while praising cops as the true enforcers of peace and reason. The whole time no one really gets the point of what anyone is trying to say because we all get so wrapped up in the "OMG you see that old woman get peppersprayed" or the "Holy shit did that guy just throw a rock at that cop?"

 

[Trevoire520]

I just think the pepper spray was unnecessary. Why didn't they just handcuff them and take them in? looks easy enough to me.

+1

 

[006]

Well they were all locked together arm-in-arm. It's standard procedure with these circumstances.

I just feel like these protesters, the OWS people, aren't doing anything but making things more difficult for average citizens, not the Wall Street people. Blocking public spaces, creating traffic problems, etc. Standing around shouting isn't doing anything to change what happens in executive board rooms or offices, the stock market, etc.

@roy: Only, in this case, the cop didn't overreact, the guidelines for police for this situation were followed to the T. But I do agree with your last statement, that's really how things seem to work.

 

[roy22341]

Yeh I wasn't necessarily commenting on this particular case, saw the video, wasn't really that shocked by it.

What cracks me up the most is that 99% of these OWS people will go vote for Obama come next year.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

Well they were all locked together arm-in-arm. It's standard procedure with these circumstances.

@roy: Only, in this case, the cop didn't overreact, the guidelines for police for this situation were followed to the T. But I do agree with your last statement, that's really how things seem to work.

Just because its what is in the book doesn't mean the book isn't wrong. I will refer you to the declaration of independence, the articles of confederation and the amendments. We as american citizens have the right to do whatever we want as long as it does not violate the rights of others. In this case, UC Davis is state run so therefore by the constitution should be by law a public place to all students and faculty. With that in mind, in a public location, if they are not violating the rights of others, the police force has NO RIGHT to enforce any form of force to the protesters until the protesters interfered with other students and faculty. This was not the case, and the protesters where not a threat to anyone. Force should only be used when and individual or group becomes a threat to the safety of the police and others, and this was not the case.

I am also highly against the use of pepper spray by law enforcement. I would rather have them give a LOUD verbal warning with the use of tasers or rubber bullets. There was no warning of the use of pepper spray.

Also, something less known, after the group broke up cops held down some people and sprayed pepper spray down their throats after they had been detained, hospitalizing quite a few because they where coughing blood almost an hour after the incident.

Cops should only have the authority to use pepper spray on people who pose a physical threat to the safety of the officer when that person does not have a weapon on them. The protesters where no safely threat so the use of force in this case is HIGHLY unconstitutional and HIGHLY unacceptable.

I just feel like these protesters, the OWS people, aren't doing anything but making things more difficult for average citizens, not the Wall Street people. Blocking public spaces, creating traffic problems, etc. Standing around shouting isn't doing anything to change what happens in executive board rooms or offices, the stock market, etc.

The protests at Davis have nothing to do with OWS. The protests where for tuition hike the second or third time this year (which has been happening every year for the past few years now). Students are paying some 30%+ more in tuition now than they did 5 years ago, and for those that don't live in California, the tuition of a California State University is not cheap about 30K+ per year. The tax hikes where part of new legislation and both students and faculty stand on the same side against the hikes as faculty is not getting an increase of pay as a result, rather our legislature is giving themselves budget raises by charging students more to go to school.

OWS picked up on the event due to police brutality, but the protest in Davis had nothing to do with OWS.

 

[DullElysium]

When i read pepper i instantly thought they were given dr pepper and thought "well thats nice". Then my brain started working an i actually understood no one got free soda.

Anyways.. Not cool

 

[John_C]

+1 to people pointing out that morality and police regulations are often a million miles away.

Also, think about the reasons people join the police... to help people? Or to have power over people?

 

[MindMunch]

Pepper spray is a chemical weapon banned for use in war by the Geneva Protocol. That means that soldiers are not allowed to use this on Bin Laden, but the police will use it even on children. By the book.

 

[midget donkeys]

I didn't see any pressing reason for the police to pepper spray those people. It looks like they could have arrested them without the pepper spray.

 

[egan.]

What cracks me up the most is that 99% of these OWS people will go vote for Obama come next year.

Why would that crack you up? We don't have a republican candidate yet but I feel safe predicting whoever it is will be against tax hikes for the rich, against entitlement programs and for deregulation. Obama has been less than stellar but in a two party system you either pick the candidate who most reps your beliefs between those two or vote for an unviable candidate with no chance of winning. Obama most closely (obviously not perfectly) represents their political desires.

Back on topic, this is a tough issue b/c pepper spray probably is more humane than prying them apart with night sticks. HOWEVER, it's important to note that this didn't really happen on "private" property. It happened on a state owned university campus and the protestors were mostly students who paid to be there. It's certainly not remotely the same thing as blocking the entrance to a Bank of America or something.

As far as the "protesting is dumb and doesn't change anything" angle, all I can say is that voting, protesting, petitioning and running for office are the essential legal ways to create major change in the US. Of those, protesting is the only way that can easily garner wide attention and doesn't require money. As long as it stays non-violent the worst you can say is it's a nuisance....but that's sort of the point.

 

[Damian B]

First Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

You may not agree with the OWS or UC Davis protests, but here in America we have a fucking right to assemble. For whatever reason we want. People seem to have forgotten this. The permit argument is not a good one, as those in power are the ones issuing the permits. As far as I know the UC Davis protestors tried to get a permit and were denied. Same for OWS.

I just feel like these protesters, the OWS people, aren't doing anything but making things more difficult for average citizens, not the Wall Street people. Blocking public spaces, creating traffic problems, etc. Standing around shouting isn't doing anything to change what happens in executive board rooms or offices, the stock market, etc.

The purpose of OWS is not to convince Wall Street they need a change of heart. That will never happen, as corporations in a capitalist system are out to make a dime at almost any cost, as has been shown repeatedly. Nike pays sweatshop workers less than a dollar a day, jobs are eliminated in favor of machines, and are then sent overseas. OWS is about trying to enact political change. The protestors want corporate regulation and fair taxes for corporations and wealthy citizens(GE paid no income tax at all in 2010. They pay over 900 lawyers to find and exploit loopholes in the law). Warren Buffet, for example, pays 15% on capital gains, before tax loopholes that is, while his secretary pays 30% on her income. That's fucked up.

Americans CAN change our political system, as we vote the fucking people in, but the lack of involvement in our system over the last however many years has allowed our government, and the corporations that now run it, to repeatedly fuck the people over.

It makes me incredibly angry to see American citizens scoff and others demonstrating. It's so fundamentally American - learn your history.

 

[AllanD]

What cracks me up the most is that 99% of these OWS people will go vote for Obama come next year.

Are you implying that a republican will side with people protesting over corporations?

 

[J-Mac]

 

[006]

These people at UC Davis were infringing on other people's rights, the right to use the fucking sidewalk on campus.

Sorry, I meant to say "these people, and the OWS people." (@wintersnow)

 

[Brandon E.]

Oh noes, those people must have been mildly uncomfortable for the following 45-60 minutes!

Feeling bad for protestors is like feeling bad for somebody who got hurt during a game of uncle. And why the hell would you bring your kids to a violent protest? I don't care to hear about how peaceful the protest was, all protests have the capacity for violence.