Slog
News & ArtsTuesday, November 15, 2011
Occupy Video of Cops Pepper Spraying Occupy Seattle Protesters
Posted by Dominic Holden on Tue, Nov 15, 2011 at 11:28 PM
Ansel Herz, a freelance multimedia reporter, got pepper sprayed as he took this video of the clash earlier tonight between cops and protesters:
Over at Mediahacker, Herz writes: "For all their hyperbole, the guys yelling at the cops were accurate in pointing out that people were, at that point, standing on the sidewalk. ... SPD’s use of pepper spray tonight was reckless and unnecessary and it surely has the effect, whether intentionally or not, of intimidating people from joining or even being near the Occupy movement."
2
I note that the Blethen Times had just one photo up earlier, taken from some distance above the street, at least 30-40 feet removed from the real action. Go figure.
6
I was home all night and didn't get pepper sprayed, so I really don't know what all this fussing is about.
8
there was absolutely NOTHING taking place in that video that would warrant the use of pepper spray. SHAME on the SPD and on the Department of Homeland Security for ordering the assaults.
http://wonkette.com/456282/surprise-home…
http://wonkette.com/456282/surprise-home…
9
Looks like McGinn and the city government tried to avoid association with the big crackdown by not attending the conference call with the other 18 mayors and telling them he wasn't going to meet with them.
However, it looks like his police chief was in on the national law enforcement anti-OWS strategy and tactic meetings and communiques.
However, it looks like his police chief was in on the national law enforcement anti-OWS strategy and tactic meetings and communiques.
13
Clearly the crime is the protesters are near the recently set up Christmas tree to celebrate our sacred shopping season. And the secondary crime is they are making the rich shoppers at Nordstroms, Barney's of New York and Tiffany's uncomfortable. DUH!!!!!
14
I also covered the pepper-spray/ mace debacle last night:
http://www.demotix.com/news/926678/occup…
I ship my stuff over to the UK because they publish it more than the Times or PI. Stranger - Contact me at photoe at the y a h o o. Its not exclusive. You must've heard of them.
http://www.demotix.com/news/926678/occup…
I ship my stuff over to the UK because they publish it more than the Times or PI. Stranger - Contact me at photoe at the y a h o o. Its not exclusive. You must've heard of them.
17
Its a shame, the protesters appear to be so desperate to revitalize their cause, they're willing to do the most juvenile things, such as use an 84 year old activist as a human shield.
18
Brutality like this hasn't discouraged people so far Dominic, and you know it. Every time they beat us down, we come back stronger in numbers. Do not allow the cops to make you afraid. They are only acting from their own fear.
20
The police were acting professionally and properly in the face of intentionally unruly, disruptive, and menacing protesters.
I am no fan of cops, but c'mon, those guys were trying to provoke a reaction--all the screaming, insults, assault on the cops (yeah, getting right up in their face is assault, folks)--the scene is one of protestor chaos and threat, and police restraint.
You upper middle class posuer protesters don't know what real police brutality is. I sincerely hope you never learn.
I am no fan of cops, but c'mon, those guys were trying to provoke a reaction--all the screaming, insults, assault on the cops (yeah, getting right up in their face is assault, folks)--the scene is one of protestor chaos and threat, and police restraint.
You upper middle class posuer protesters don't know what real police brutality is. I sincerely hope you never learn.
22
@18: So, this morning, it's brutality, and last night, I was beyond dismayed watching three hours of livestream to hear how often Jason and Ian and Jenny laughed about the pepper spray because it was So Exciting! Ian was doing his own stand-up for the long long stretch at 5th and pine (after the first spraying on 3rd) when, unhassled by the police, people were blocking the intersection so that they could do mic check cop knock knock jokes and order pizzas. Hell, Jenny got back on live after everyone got back up to camp to laugh about not having her make-up on and her hair done because, like, she'd been pepper sprayed!
You can't laugh at night and be morally outraged in the morning. At least not if you're going to be taken seriously.
Dominic: Let's put on our investigative hats, hmm? Was this clip before, during, of after the bottle got thrown at the police from someone in OS with *no* repercussions from anyone around him or her?
You can't laugh at night and be morally outraged in the morning. At least not if you're going to be taken seriously.
Dominic: Let's put on our investigative hats, hmm? Was this clip before, during, of after the bottle got thrown at the police from someone in OS with *no* repercussions from anyone around him or her?
23
so awesome. I would have liked to have seen some flashbangs in there, but this is a good start. It's time the SPD started cracking some skulls. This 'movement' is nothing more than a public health hazard and a nuisance.
24
In case anyone is wondering what was going on, the protestors were blocking thousands of commuters who were just trying to get home during rush hour. They blocked the streets and police ordered them onto the sidewalk so buses and commuters could get past.
Once on the sidewalk, they were were still blocking the path of hundreds of people trying to walk and bike home, so the cops ordered them to move aside. People who screamed fuck you and shoved the cops instead of complying with repeated, simple, reasonable instructions to move back a few feet got pepper sprayed.
The people who got arrested physically shoved uniformed officers, some of them multiple times. I think the pregnant chick either took a swing at one of the officers or shoved them. She'll make a great parent.
I don't see how the cops could have handled the situation any better.
Once on the sidewalk, they were were still blocking the path of hundreds of people trying to walk and bike home, so the cops ordered them to move aside. People who screamed fuck you and shoved the cops instead of complying with repeated, simple, reasonable instructions to move back a few feet got pepper sprayed.
The people who got arrested physically shoved uniformed officers, some of them multiple times. I think the pregnant chick either took a swing at one of the officers or shoved them. She'll make a great parent.
I don't see how the cops could have handled the situation any better.
26
More video from last night: http://www.youtube.com/user/toastycake94…
I was there from about 5:30 on, and didn't see a single protester get physically violent. Also, remember that the sidewalks are very wide in this part of town, and there was plenty of room for pedestrians to get around the protesters. Nobody was blocking any traffic when the pepper spraying started. It was completely out of spite.
I was there from about 5:30 on, and didn't see a single protester get physically violent. Also, remember that the sidewalks are very wide in this part of town, and there was plenty of room for pedestrians to get around the protesters. Nobody was blocking any traffic when the pepper spraying started. It was completely out of spite.
27
Other video confirms what @24 said. This is another case of provoking the cops, forcing them to take action so you can scream like juveniles, "The whole world is watching!"
29
You do realize this is all being coordinated by the US DOJ with Homeland Insecurity leading, under Presidential authorization, right?
As a "counter terrorism operation".
(amazing stuff I learn from Government news you guys don't get)
As a "counter terrorism operation".
(amazing stuff I learn from Government news you guys don't get)
31
@26, the protesters were intentionally blocking the entire sidewalk at the corner so that people trying to walk home from work had to walk out into the traffic lanes to get past. As you say, the sidewalks are very wide--getting out of the way of pedestrians so they don't have to walk in the street was not an unreasonable request.
One thing about pepper spray--using it sucks and cops won't do it unless they have to. It's really not possible to spray it into a crowd without getting it all over yourself and the other cops.
One thing about pepper spray--using it sucks and cops won't do it unless they have to. It's really not possible to spray it into a crowd without getting it all over yourself and the other cops.
34
soooooooo... muahahahahahahahahahaaaaa! now you know what its like to be black . now aint that a muthafucker white folks ?
35
The cops absolutely over-reacted.
Why is that a surprise?
Most of the protesters there have been through this a thousand times before, the end of the story in a cloud of pepper spray was entirely predictable.
I vehemently disagree that the police acted "responsibly," but they acted totally predictably."
Therefore, I can only conclude that the protesters knew exactly what was coming, and didn't want to submit to the course of action that would have possibly avoided the police reponse.
Fair enough. One could argue that one should hold one's ground and not 'give in' to police demands.
If so, don't act shocked at the response.
Personally, I think it's a tactical mistake to make the conversation always become about cops. That is a distraction from the message.
Why is that a surprise?
Most of the protesters there have been through this a thousand times before, the end of the story in a cloud of pepper spray was entirely predictable.
I vehemently disagree that the police acted "responsibly," but they acted totally predictably."
Therefore, I can only conclude that the protesters knew exactly what was coming, and didn't want to submit to the course of action that would have possibly avoided the police reponse.
Fair enough. One could argue that one should hold one's ground and not 'give in' to police demands.
If so, don't act shocked at the response.
Personally, I think it's a tactical mistake to make the conversation always become about cops. That is a distraction from the message.
36
That would be me shouting about being on the sidewalk. I have always been a calm person...but when they sprayed that first time...something snapped. I too got hit, square in the face in the second bout of spray. Besides having a camera in my hands taking pictures, also me being a bigger guy, shouting at the cops drew nothing but attention to myself and I was targeted when the second round was unleashed. Full blast...square in the face. Not fun but would do it all again.
37
Also @31...We were asked to move from the street. We complied after our second warning. We were not asked to move from the sidewalk. Never is there a warning of "you are blocking the sidewalk. Please disburse". Also, we do not block people from walking, that would be the cops barricade of bikes. I have been to many things and never have we "stopped" people from getting through us.
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