.
.
.
You’ve all probably heard about the conflict at UC Davis in recent days, where a Campus Police Lieutenant methodically pepper-sprayed a line of protesters who were seated blocking a sidewalk.
You may have heard about the calls for UC Davis Chancellor Katehi’s resignation.
You might have heard that Davis students had surrounded a building where the Chancellor was giving a press conference into which students were not allowed. Their chanting disrupted the conference, which was ended early.
You might have heard that Katehi reportedly claiming that she was trapped in the building, despite the fact that the students had cleared a path for her to leave and were chanting that she “can leave in peace”.
You might even have heard that she remained in the building for almost two hours after the press conference ended.
But nothing you’ve heard will prepare you for this video of how it all ended. Take a look:
This is what the Occupy movement looks like. Hundreds of aggrieved protesters on each side, all of them cloaked in darkness — and yet not a pebble thrown.
Just watch the video.
If you’ve forgotten what prompted the outrage against UC Davis’s police department, we have an unretouched photo of that too:
Yes, that’s pepper spray, methodically sprayed at the heads of the students seen below.
Whatever
else
it
may
look
like
is
purely
metaphorical.
Oddly aloof and detached. That she wouldn’t stop and have a conversation with even a few of those students speaks volumes.
I’m surprised that she didn’t strap a rocket to her back, Wile E. Coyote-style, to get to her car even sooner.
That sure was some silence, wasn’t it?
I have been debating this all morning with friends. The video I have seen shows the police trying to talk to screaming protectors on the verge of riot. The police show the can of pepper spray and tells those illegally blocking the public walk way that unless they disperse they will be sprayed. Only after the warning and the growing angry shouts from the agitated crowd do the police spray those engaged in the illegal activity get sprayed. When you participate in civil disobedience (as opposed to peaceful protest) you have to be aware that there will be a legal consequence for your illegal actions. The calls should be for the expulsion of the students.
Geoff,
I am a hard core Republican, veteran and lifelong supporter of police. What happened at UC Berkeley and UC Davis was abusive, unacceptable and criminal. All of the police at Berkeley who yanked on hair, beat students with batons and choked out people doing nothing should be arrested and prosecuted. Lt. Pike should be demoted and transferred somewhere he has no interaction with the public, and Chief Sciuzzia should be fired for lying and attempting to justify this behavior.
I have followed your comments for some time, and often agree with you, but this nonsense ended that. You are an idiot and a fool.
The citizens of this nation, and our students, have the right to peacefully protest and not be subject to assault by our police. Occupying portions of the open area of a campus – not a public road – does not justify the use of force in the manner it was used. Our rights trump those of the police. It is established law in the United States that our right of self defense extends to defending ourselves against the unlawful use of force by police.
Sitting on a campus and not obeying the order of a police officer to move does not justify the use of force.
Failing to get out of the way of advancing police officers does not justify the use of batons.
Police must use the minimum amount of force necessary to effectuate a lawful arrest. That means lifting them up and moving them, not deploying taser, baton, or pepper spray.
I suggest you take a Constitutional law course soon. Your stance is embarrassing, and certainly not indicative of the values of individual liberty and protection from unlawful government actions that are hallmarks of conservatism.
Amen! You seem to subscribe to a more classical conservative philosophy, the kind that drove Bob Barr to leave the Republican party in the wake of illegal wiretapping of American citizens by our government. To say that today’s GOP has lost it’s moorings with regard to that kind of classical conservatism would be the understatement of the century.
Are we looking at the same video, Geoff? Here’s the one I’ve seen:
http://youtu.be/WmJmmnMkuEM
I disagree with you about “on the verge of riot.”
Yes, he did warn them first. His action may have been legal (though I wouldn’t bet on that — see Headwaters v. Humboldt — not being excessive force.) By your reasoning, he could just as well have warned them that he was going to shoot off their kneecaps. Warning someone doesn’t excuse excessive force.
Sure there was no alternative to forcing these students to leave. (If only they had been doing something legal, like looting pension funds!) We sure are learning a lot about which laws the government chooses to enforce — and how so. What priorities!
I actually have seen several from different angles, this one was a bit short on the opening footage. No, spraying someone with pepper spray is not the same as shooting someone in the knee cap, it is like spraying someone violating the law with pepper spray.
I can tell you are not in a strong position here since instead of discussing the students illegal acts and the necessary response from police (which, to some degree, could be a matter of opinion) and went straight for the stealing pension distraction. Not very big crowd of folks supportive of pension thieves on either side of the aisle and completely irrelevant to a discussion of appropriate police response to a mob openly violating the law.
The students were blocking an entire walkway and that IS illegal. As the ACLU itself notes, it is best to leave an area for passersby to get through.
BUT…
To call shooting pepper spray into the eyes of people sitting perfectly still “appropriate” is ridiculous. Please, Geoff, explain to us what prevented those officers from walking up behind each one of those sitting students, zip-cuffing them, and arresting them? Explain that to us.
Wasn’t there, can’t answer that. Maybe that would have been best. From what I have seen, it looked like the crowd was on the verge of angry action, but I will wait for more facts.
Oh c’mon Geoff. Did you see the video? What angry action were those students sitting there peacefully on the sidewalk (the ones who got pepper sprayed) on the verge of?
For that matter, what angry action were those NOT sitting on the sidewalk on the verge of? Shouting? Please do let us know what illegal action THOSE people were engaged in that would have required a police response of ANY kind.
“On the verge of angry action.” I like that, I think I’ll use that as an excuse next time I want to kick someone’s ass. “He looked like he was on the verge of angry action.”
Shorter Geoff-
“People should be afraid of their government and obey it slavishly.”
No, Chip, not “people” — just 99% of us. The rest, not so much.
That is an expensive school to go to.
Are the in class students going to be able to sue those so called protestors for the lost in value of their education?
Watching the video I see a bunch of kids looking for a fight. They should go to the army recruiter and sign up for combat duty and let the spot they are wasting in class to be used by another wanting higher education.
The ones looking for a fight were the cops. They show up with riot gear on, weapons drawn, and threatening people with violence…… if the students don’t get off the sidewalk.
Yeah, we gotta protect the sidewalk !
These kids were protesting the inequalities in our society, and they have a lot of support . They are not some fringe group of dirty unemployed rapist drug addicts, outside of the mainstream of popular thought, as those cunning foxes on Fox would have you believe. But accuracy isn’t their stong suit (read O’Reilly’s book on Lincoln).
This tactic of using force against the Occupiers will only strengthen their resolve.
dont you love these wacked out lefties democrap and diamond . protesting the inequalities of socity . this ocupy mentality thinking you CAN go any where and do what ever you want . BLOCK STREETS , ENTER BANKS AND CAUSE A RUCKUS . police did the right thing arrest these clowns and toss them in jail.
What I love is seeing apologists for the wealthiest in society complain about others’ supposed sense of entitlement.
Are you referring to the arrests made at the Chase bank? Those people who entered the banks and were arrested were customers, every single one of them had an account there. They were trying to close their accounts and they were locked in the bank and arrested when the police arrived. As for the Davis students, they were sitting on a sidewalk and and all you had to do was walk around them. Not exactly the violent hippie hordes of Kent State, although I have a feeling on which side you would support in that. People are being illegally detained, not being mirandized their rights, brutally beaten , and in some cases critically injured…..but you think it’s OK, because they are causing a RUCKUS?…….a ruckus?
On one occasion an 84 year old 4′ 10″ woman was pepper sprayed in the face , alongside a 19 year old pregnant mother and a priest. ….but deep down “O Great One”, that type of shit gives you a chubby, dont it?
Because you know that as long as they are beating liberals , you like it.
It gets you excited.
If it was a gun toting Tea Bagger , that would be against his constitutional rights to peaceably assemble, but because politically that person opposes your views , “Bring it On”.
This is why you will lose, are losing , and will never win again.
The rank Fascism that is the bedrock of your beliefs is being exposed…..and it’s about fucking time.
” police did the right thing arrest these clowns and toss them in jail.”
Well apparently the person in charge of the police had a different view than you Oh Grating Juan.
In her statement on Sunday, Ms. Katehi said: “I spoke with students this weekend, and I feel their outrage. I have also heard from an overwhelming number of students, faculty, staff and alumni from around the country. I am deeply saddened that this happened on our campus, and as chancellor, I take full responsibility for the incident. However, I pledge to take the actions needed to ensure that this does not happen again.”
You are in a small minority with your small thoughts.
You think that freedom of speech is all well and good, until you don’t like what people are saying, then you want to throw them in jail.
“Shame on you.”
The students’ passive resistance was met with an overly aggressive use of force; the pepper spray. In this case I believe the officers should have zIp-tied their hands and then arrested them and carried or lead them away if they were impeding the right of way. Do not escalate force when not necessary.
If there is a nationwide push towards a one-size-fits-all response (http://privacysos.org/node/370), I think that is a mistake.
From watching 1 video linked here, I did not see “passive resistance”.
We know what you saw Cook.
You saw a bunch of kids that you didn’t like, and you didn’t like their message.
And in your own words……
” They should go to the army recruiter and sign up for combat duty and let the spot they are wasting in class to be used by another wanting higher education.”
So send someone you disagree with off to fight in some unprovoked war.
Obviously the words of a chickenhawk.
Cook’s not a chickenhawk, but a Vietnam vet who I sometimes think is mentally disturbed. Reasonable guess though…
Nobody comes home the same, and it is disturbed to want to send more people to that environment.
I suggest you read up a bit on passive resistance.
hey gerricurl its big fat libs like you who are bringing this country down a pregnant lady and a 84 year old woman . how much did they pay them to come out and as far as winning. my mind slipped on who won the last election in congress OHHHHH IT WAS THE REPS . SO MUCH for your will never win . and heres one more for you . in nov next year here comes the 2nd wave .. people r sick n tired of your cry baby lib stuff . go ahead and stand in front of frwys in l.a . oh and you knew those people had a bank accounts there o k mr crystal ball .. what crock of crap .
…….”The Wall Street Journal has confirmed the arrests. According to their report, 24 people were arrested. The protesters who tried to close their accounts were asked to leave by CitiBank and when they refused, they were arrested for trespassing”
No Crystal ball….unlike you , I am informed.
Fox News viewers less informed about current events, poll shows
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-fox-news-poll-20111121,0,3985116.story?track=rss
cook when dealing with libs like gerricurl if you show them a video of something you will hear things like the tape is rigged , fixed up , or yours eye did not see what you saw . you are mentally disturbed like vern saids . its ok THIS IS THE REAL ! ONE PERCENT YOU SEE IIN THESE RALLYS .
You are SO right, Grating Juan. It’s like when you tell someone an 84-year-old woman was pepper sprayed and they just say the old woman was probably paid…
Oh wait…
WE SEE HOW YOU LIBS AND BIG UNIONS SHIP IN BUSES OF FOLKS WHO MOST OF THEM HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEIR DOING THERE .
Bigger letters,………less logic………zero facts…..complete ass.
My God, sir, did you just skip over the commandment about bearing false witness?
If someone complains about my opinion, then I must have stuck a nerve.
I watched the video again, and I have not changed my mind, still a bunch of malcontents who came for a fight. Lucky for those youths, they will only get small fines and community service.
You know there are a lot of empty farms in the Midwest, maybe these protestor should move to these farms and make a meager living for themselves since they are against earning a good living and accumulating assets for their families and retirement.
“If someone complains about my opinion, then I must have stuck a nerve.”
I don’t suppose it ever crossed your mind that maybe, just maybe, it isn’t because you “stuck a nerve” but, rather, because you are completely, unalterably, conclusively wrong about something. Nah, impossible.
Its only an opinion my friend. Don’t let it get you down.
I spent the weekend in the Bay Area, fundraising for Golden Bears Baseball. Amazingly the Cardnial contigent was most generous in $$$ and moral support, something we could learrn from in the blogesphere.
But germaine to this, The feeling about the UCD protest is much more muted than the national media and some blogs have tried to make it. The Auggie band is not nearly as passionate as the occupy promoters.
I found that VERY TELLING. Once again, the kids that took the gas are remaining silient, meanwhile the adults seem FULL of gas.
the occupiers have been infiltrasted with scum, anarchists, communists, socialists, anti dentites, and union thugs and are a result of Obamas class war. Weird how the 1% ers, the cops with their pensions that is, ended up spraying the 99 %ers. I feel sorry for today’s youth and all the crap they learn from the leftist professors. They need to get in the real world and get an entry level job and take math and science instead of getting transgender study degrees. Or become a plumber or mechanic or better yet bring back the draft and have a drill sargeant shape up their whiny attitudes. Quit being slackers. You are blessed to be in the USA, millions want to come here and work hard. Those roads, parks, and buildings you occupy were built by capitalism, count your blessings. You are entitled to a place at the startingline, that is all. Where you finish the race is up to you alone. Run the good race!
gerricurl heres one for a complete ass like you CAPS . HAAA.. dmw take a bow that was well put . people like this clow gerricurl dont get it . and the rest of this stupid ocupy crowd . WE HAVE LAWS something that is hard for you guys to follow , when a cop warns you , tells you its a unlawfull gathering and if you dont move , you will be arrested or pepper spray what do folks with a half of brain do . oh the other half must be fried from the ganji these guys have been smoking . you think its a great thing TO DISRUPT OTHER PEOPLES RIGHTS ..blocking the traffic , going into banks and harrassing people . and i wont mention the oakland crowd . NOW YOU NOW WHY SANTA ANA DID THE RIGHT THING AND SAID NOOOOOOOO TO YOU GUYS .. but its ok diamond said no means =later or they will revisit = or its not what they meant
Your comment has me on the verge of angry action. Notify Willis!
I knew cook was a little bit sour but not this sour. As for Geoff, I had no idea that he was this blind, I thought that he just liked to talk and think of himself as a constipated Proud American opposed to introspection.
ohhhh relax diamond im not like the ocupy crowd
Another point where all sides can agree, Grate Juan!