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Occupy the Caymans
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Soon, Mr. Police Chief, you'll be working as a security guard, since you will be unhireable and toxic everywhere else in the law enforcement community.

Soon.

When the occutards outsmart you then maybe you're just not cut out for police work.

"two campus police officers sprayed SEATED protesters with during an OWS demonstration"

I'm sure he accidentally the whole protest

Oh, jeez. Administrative leave with pay. That sounds rough. I'm glad no one sends me home to play video games and get paid for it when I screw up at work.

When does Chancellor Kaheti get shown the door?

How about protest without being jackasses so the wheelchair bound can get through? OWS hates the handicapped.

Seriously would rather have seen that tactic on part of the police. OWS head asplodes deciding what to do.

paygun: When the occutards outsmart you then maybe you're just not cut out for police work.

Haha true.

with pay?
*checks article*

It's interesting to me how in so-called "backwards" countries like Egypt and Libya, the police and military actually support protestors. Here in the "land of the free", we pepper spray them and park tanks on the street. Oh, and beat them into comas if we think they're former soldiers.

Ms. Katehi is trying to save her own neck. The calls for her resignation are getting pretty loud.

It sounds to me she called in the police to do what they did and after it everyone got pissed about it she is now blaming the police for it.

The university's chancellor, Linda P.B. Katehi, indicated that she was trying to calm the campus community amid widespread outrage at the police tactics. Referring to the temporary removal of the police chief, Annette Spicuzza, Ms. Katehi said in a statement Monday, "It has become clear to me that this is a necessary step toward restoring trust on our campus."

She named Matt Carmichael as interim police chief. Ms. Katehi also sped up an internal probe into the incident and asked the district attorney's office to conduct an investigation into her police department's use of force on the protesters.

Someone at the top finally gets it.

That'll teach him! If he's not careful, he might even lose 10 vacation days too!

I had to go to the hospital the last time they sprayed me with during.

Snowflake Tubbybottom: How about protest without being jackasses so the wheelchair bound can get through?

Yes, your concern for the handicapped is as touching as it is obviously sincere.

Snowflake Tubbybottom: How about protest without being jackasses so the wheelchair bound can get through? OWS hates the handicapped.

This has to be the most creative conservative talking point ever. Well done. +2

...protesters with during an...

People are outraged after viewing the video's and pictures captured during the incident. Was there any audio/video captured prior to the incident? You know, where perhaps Officer Pike and his buddy clearly warned the protestors as to what was to occur if they failed to move? Why they couldn't remain where they were and possibly offered up an alternative site for them to continue?

Three sides to every story, the defendant's, the plaintiff's and finally the truth. It's that last one that most people forget to consider. More fun to try and convict based on emotion as opposed to fact. I'm not siding with the officer but I'm sure there's more to this story than is being reported.

I realize I'm horribly immature and redneck, but you know that whole silent gauntlet they made Kaheti do? Imagine if right at the end someone pops out from around the SUV and nails her with bear mace. Full on right in her face and nails the spray button.

Even better of course if they got Lt. Arsehole with it.

PanicMan: Ms. Katehi also sped up an internal probe into the incident and asked the district attorney's office to conduct an investigation into her police department's use of force on the protesters.

I bet that's not going to go like she planned. Pepper spray is "less lethal" so they can use it on you when you don't do as you're told. I'll bet that investigation will show that they followed policy. That's the problem with policy, as soon you use it to replace common sense then you end up with stupid shiat like this.

Clueless cops.

A protest movement's best friend.

farm machine: People are outraged after viewing the video's and pictures captured during the incident. Was there any audio/video captured prior to the incident? You know, where perhaps Officer Pike and his buddy clearly warned the protestors as to what was to occur if they failed to move? Why they couldn't remain where they were and possibly offered up an alternative site for them to continue?

Three sides to every story, the defendant's, the plaintiff's and finally the truth. It's that last one that most people forget to consider. More fun to try and convict based on emotion as opposed to fact. I'm not siding with the officer but I'm sure there's more to this story than is being reported.

What could the protesters have done or said immediately prior to that horrific video to warrant that reaction? Seriously, I would like to know, because I can't think of anything.

ha-ha-guy: Even better of course if they got Lt. Arsehole with it.

The problem with that, is when the ruling class sprays one of us with pepper spray they're doing it for our own good. When we do it, it's assault.

It was actually the blog post further down the Fark page that made the point I find relevant here. If you look at the picture:



This is not a police officer trying to control a crowd. This is not a police officer trying to non-violently stop an attack. This is not a police officer defusing a violent situation or defending himself. This is a police officer punishing people. That's all there is to it. He is punishing them.

Are these OWS protesters doing something right or wrong? I don't know. But that's irrelevant. That's not up to a police officer to decide, that's up to a court to decide. Do these protesters deserve a punishment? Maybe. But it's the judge who doles the punishment, not some beat cop.

That's what bothers me here.

farm machine: People are outraged after viewing the video's and pictures captured during the incident. Was there any audio/video captured prior to the incident?

There is. (new window)

Submitted First With a Better Headline: Oh, jeez. Administrative leave with pay. That sounds rough. I'm glad no one sends me home to play video games and get paid for it when I screw up at work.

There was a lawsuit here in Massachusetts a year or two ago by some state employees who were arrested, and immediately fired, prior to any court hearings or conviction... it's a legitimate point - when it hasn't yet been proven* that you screwed up, should the state still have the power to punish you? Additionally, since criminal proceedings sometimes take months before conviction, but you've still got a mortgage to pay and kids to feed, an innocent** person could really be unjustly harmed, particularly by a malicious prosecution***.

Frankly, I'm fine with the administrative-leave-with-pay issue, provided that when it is determined that they screwed up, they're fined for the paid amount (if fired) or docked that amount of pay (if not fired). In this case, Pike, the police chief, and other supervisors should be paid, pending the criminal investigations and civil lawsuits. Then, once convicted and/or found liable, in addition to damages and jail time, they should also be forced to repay the state their interim salaries.

*'course, this one is self-evident
**Lt. Pike is a criminal
***not applicable here

paygun: ha-ha-guy: Even better of course if they got Lt. Arsehole with it.

The problem with that, is when the ruling class sprays one of us with pepper spray they're doing it for our own good. When we do it, it's assault.

Yeah. It also defeats the whole imagine of maturity and discipline the protesters were creating. Still seeing him on the ground and screaming as he rubs at his eyes....

Relatively Obscure: The 'leave with pay' part isn't the punishment. It's just removing someone while they look into what you did and if you should be punished.

Whether or not they'll meaningfully do that second part, I can't say.

Yeah, I know, but I'm not confident that anything will actually come from this. Maybe he'll be transferred and go back to making more money than he deserves for brutalizing people without power somewhere else. Mostly, I'm just being snarky.

farm machine: People are outraged after viewing the video's and pictures captured during the incident. Was there any audio/video captured prior to the incident? You know, where perhaps Officer Pike and his buddy clearly warned the protestors as to what was to occur if they failed to move? Why they couldn't remain where they were and possibly offered up an alternative site for them to continue?

That still wouldn't make it acceptable. Unless the protesters were attacking the police or destroying property or something and then suddenly sat down just before the cameras came out, who cares if there is audio/video prior to the incident?

farm machine: Was there any audio/video captured prior to the incident? You know, where perhaps Officer Pike and his buddy clearly warned the protestors as to what was to occur if they failed to move?

I can't imagine they weren't told. It's too easy not to, plus it's a threat so I can't imagine the cops not doing it. The problem is that it's legal for cops to treat free (hah) people like prison inmates.

CPennypacker: farm machine: People are outraged after viewing the video's and pictures captured during the incident. Was there any audio/video captured prior to the incident? You know, where perhaps Officer Pike and his buddy clearly warned the protestors as to what was to occur if they failed to move? Why they couldn't remain where they were and possibly offered up an alternative site for them to continue?

Three sides to every story, the defendant's, the plaintiff's and finally the truth. It's that last one that most people forget to consider. More fun to try and convict based on emotion as opposed to fact. I'm not siding with the officer but I'm sure there's more to this story than is being reported.

What could the protesters have done or said immediately prior to that horrific video to warrant that reaction? Seriously, I would like to know, because I can't think of anything.

Refusing to obey the corporate thugscops.

Mavent: It's interesting to me how in so-called "backwards" countries like Egypt and Libya, the police and military actually support protestors. Here in the "land of the free", we pepper spray them and park tanks on the street. Oh, and beat them into comas if we think they're former soldiers.

Because the protesters in those countries actually are effective. The military and police want to follow their efforts and be in place when the time comes to establish a new government (and then take it over).

The typical right-wing response to this act of sadism seems to be some combination of "hippies smell" and "what are they even protesting?"

Is being suspended with pay a bad thing?

lennavan: That's what bothers me here.

It bothers me too, not just because it's farking wrong but because it's looking like a trend. And I don't see any peaceful way to reverse it.

indylaw: The typical right-wing response to this act of sadism seems to be some combination of "hippies smell" and "what are they even protesting?"

CPennypacker:
What could the protesters have done or said immediately prior to that horrific video to warrant that reaction? Seriously, I would like to know, because I can't think of anything.

The argument being made is that the police had no choice but to spray the students as they were trapped inside their circle and fearful for their lives. As such, they did what any rational human being would do and calmly stepped outside of the circle that they were trapped inside of, turned around, and sprayed peaceful students.

I suppose it is a symbiotic relationship - the protesters wanted attention (that is the whole point of the protest) and they got a lot of it.

If i felt very strongly about their issue i would be willing to take a spraying to get my point across.

I really don't have any answers here but i don't like seeing people hurt in this way.

Cat Food Sandwiches: Is being suspended with pay a bad thing?

It will give Lt Pepperspray time to eat all the pizzas sent to his house.