Tag: pepper spray

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NYC Police Pepper Spray Peaceful LGBTQ Demonstrators

Pandemonium broke out at the Queer Liberation March Sunday afternoon in New York City as New York Police officers swarmed what was described as a peaceful demonstration on the 51st anniversary of the Stonewall riots. The incident occurred near New York’s Washington Square Park amid supporters for the Black Lives Matter and Black Trans Lives Matter movements. The Gothamist reports two demonstrators were being arrested for graffiti when protesters attempted to intervene. Police officers reportedly responded using pepper spray on several in the crowd. One witness told The Gothamist the mood was like an upbeat dance party prior to the arrival of the police. “We were dancing right in front of the arch on 5th ave and out of nowhere, cops started storming into the crowd,” Mike Perles, a 29-year-old city employee, told The Gothamist. “They pushed everyone in front of them out of the way and onto the ground. They pushed a reporter who was taking photos down and started randomly pepper-spraying people.” “I couldn’t see anyone instigating,” added Perles. “It seemed like they felt outnumbered after entering a huge group and panicked and started beating people up.” Pippa Bianco, a volunteer for NourishNYC, described the scene before the police arrived as “totally peaceful.” She was picking up food for a volunteer food station when the police rushed into the crowd. While helping demonstrators get water after they were pepper-sprayed, Bianco says she saw a police medic pouring water into the eyes of two other officers who were standing downwind of the pepper spray and accidentally got the irritant in their eyes. “The arrests that apparently incited the clash were reportedly over graffiti,” wrote Teen Vogue politics editor Lucy Diavolo, who attended the march. “In the midst of the blockade, I heard someone try to start a ‘graffiti is art’ chant.” Diavolo adds that she could identify herself in videos posted to Twitter. “I can see the cops going wild; in one video, an officer uses a nightstick to knock down someone already on their knees with their hands raised above their head.”

On Twitter, openly gay City Council Speaker Corey Johnson called for a full investigation into clashes between protesters and police. Johnson called the use of pepper spray on the peaceful protesters “incredibly disturbing.”

In spite of the use of force by police, the organizers of the event said the vast majority of the march was a peaceful celebration attended by over 50,000 supporters. “DO NOT let the NYPD ruin a gorgeous day like today, on the 51st anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion,” wrote the group on Instagram. “The sun, the rain and the rainbow came out for us today! And we made history. Let’s carry this spirit forward! Let’s continue supporting our Black Queer and Trans Communities!”

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WOW! THANK YOU! An estimated 50K of you joined us on the streets today, plus over 373k views here on Facebook!! So much love to all of us for building an IRL and virtual community, standing for Black Lives and against police brutality through the 2nd annual #QueerLiberationMarch. As of now, we understand that there has been one arrest, as well as many more who experience violence at the hands of the police. Again, if you witnessed or experienced police violence, send photo/video documentation to: media@reclaimpridenyc.org Jail support is already in place and trying to make sure everyone arrested is released safely. AND ONE FINAL MESSAGE: DO NOT let the NYPD ruin a gorgeous day like today, on the 51st anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion! THE SUN, THE RAIN AND THE RAINBOW came out for us today! AND WE MADE HISTORY! Let’s carry this spirit forward! Let’s continue supporting our Black Queer and Trans Communities! Let’s show up for each other, TOGETHER. Keep loving, keep chanting, keep dancing, keep living. HAPPY PRIDE! Videos/photos: @leandrojusten

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(source: The Gothamist, Teen Vogue, NY1)

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Settlement reached on students pepper-sprayed at UC Davis

The University of California regents has agreed to a settlement to the students who were pepper-sprayed last November at the UC Davis at a demonstration.

From the Sacramento Bee:

 It calls for each of the 21 plaintiffs to receive $30,000 for a total payout of $630,000.

The agreement also transforms the suit into a class action, which will allow others who were hit with pepper spray during the Nov. 18 protest to submit claims for payments of up to $20,000.

Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/crime/archives/2012/09/pepper-spray-settlement-about-1-million.html#storylink=cpy
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Walmart “pepper spray” customer turns herself in

A southern California woman turned herself in to authorities as the person who pepper sprayed video-game shoppers in a Walmart during Black Friday’s shopping frenzy, Los Angeles police said Saturday.

The woman has not been charged because detectives are continuing their investigation into the incident that required firefighters to treat 10 people for exposure to pepper spray, authorities said.

“We have her identity and we know who she is and where she is at. When appropriate action needs to be taken, we know where to find her,” said Officer Bruce Borihanh, a police spokesman. “She’s a suspect, but she’s not booked or anything, so we’re not releasing her name.

The pepper-spraying incident, which occurred in a Walmart in the nearby Los Angeles neighborhood of Porter Ranch, occurred Thursday night.

Black Friday shopping was marked by violence in at least seven states, including California.

At the Walmart in Porter Ranch, the pepper-spraying incident occurred when a woman doused fellow shoppers with the spray as people were grabbing for Xbox video game consoles, police said.

The suspect was able to pay for her purchases and leave the store before police arrived, authorities said.

One witness to the incident, Juan Castro, said he and other shoppers were hunting for “deals,” when a woman began using pepper spray. He was trying to buy a Wii video game at $20, marked down from a typical $60, he said.

“I don’t know if she felt threatened or she felt she had to do that to get what she wanted,” Castro told CNN on Friday.

Violent incidents also occurred in South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, New York, Alabama and Connecticut, with most of the reported incidents happening at or near Walmart stores.