(Image source: Know Your Meme)

 

 
BY MALLORY PERRYMAN

ANCHOR JIM FLINK
 

It’s the burning question, still wafting through the air after last week’s incident at UC-Davis. To spray or not to spray?

Since this video of a campus police officer pepper-spraying Occupy protesters went viral-- the university has placed two officers -- plus the police chief-- on administrative leave.

Also under fire-- the UC Davis chancellor. KCRA reports- Chancellor Linda Katehi has publicly apologized twice, as students petition for her resignation.

“A townhall meeting on campus featured the chancellor saying that police disobeyed her order to avoid violence, that’s her stance. Those talks ended with Chancellor Katehi making promises to students including paying for the medical care of students who didn’t respond well to that pepper spray.”

Besides footing the medical bills- Katehi also asked authorities to drop the charges against 10 arrested protesters.

Officials did drop those charges and now-- it’s the university and the police department that are under investigation. KABC reports the UC president has ordered an independent probe--

-- which will be headed by former LA police chief William Bratton. That report is due in 30 days. Meanwhile, the state is considering its own investigation.

But it looks like many have already made up their minds about who’s to blame.

As CNN reports-- photoshoppers are exacting their own kind of revenge on the pepper-wielding policeman.

“Now he’s spraying everyone from Santa to Jesus at the Last Supper. He’s spraying Lassie, he’s spraying Snoopy. He’s become what’s called a meme: an idea reproducing across the web.”

But to others-- the officer’s actions are evidence of a bigger issue-- use of excessive force. Andrew Rosenthal writes for The New York Times...

“Police departments nationally need to rethink their pepper-spray policies, or better train officers in how to put these policies into practice. What happened at UC Davis makes that abundantly clear... This kind of behavior is wrong, legally and morally.”

As to the legality-- in 2002, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled it is excessive for police to use pepper spray against seated, peaceful protesters.

To find out why-- just look to the countless news outlets now running stories about what pepper spray is made out of--how painful it is to get in your eyes-- and what kind of medical problems it can cause.

Despite the stinging sensation-- a contributor for The Washington Post says Occupy won’t be sprayed away-- and it’s time to try a timeless tactic.

“If the United States military can now be considering talking to the Taliban in Afghanistan as a way to find a peaceful exit from that dreadful war, surely American police departments can find ways to demilitarize their approach to #occupywallstreet, find ways to talk to demonstrators and use respect and negotiation as a way forward.”


 

 

U.S. News

Analysis: UC Davis Pepper Spray Fallout

November 24, 2011
(2:35)
UC-Davis officials have felt the backlash from a debate over the use of pepper spray. This after a publicized incident involving Occupy protesters.
   
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