http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgr3DiqWYCI&feature=player_embeddedTwo clips are shown. In one, folks are pushing at a mobile police barrier [never seen one of those before] and then a police officer is 'brutally assaulting' a man with a professional grade camera. He is knocked down and hits a car; video too short and unfocused to get a clear picture of what is going on. I'd conjecture he should have been behind the barrier and failed to respond to police directives; what with looking through the camera. If a brutal assault was intended, it was very poorly executed. The second video clip has folks behind another barrier, seemingly just standing around, and a police officer [White Shirt] walks up and pepper sprays the group. While I'd think that highly inadvisable with a crowd, especially as officers are holding up the mobile barriers. Thinking random wanton cruelty a less than probable cause, methinks some officer had complained about the crowd pushing against the barrier [like they were in the first video] and the higher ranking fellow came over to get things back in hand before running off to put out another fire. The short clip making it possible that, the crowd ebbing and flowing with protest ferocity, the clip was just taken during an ebb.
Anyone seen some longer clips that actually provide context?
And is anyone else annoyed at what people shout? I miss 'Don't taze me bro.' Immediate failure to comply with a police directive [especially whilst in a crowd] triggers 'compulsed compliance techniques' that escalate far faster than those experiencing them fathom.
I've been to events with 'professional protesters' before and frankly despise them. Minimal interaction is enough to sort them out too. They aren't there for any other purpose than the news video clip; the more out of context the better. They even have classes for them. They are the reason you don't see follow up videos of the people 'brutally assaulted.' Context; as often provided in those internal affairs investigations, destroys them.
From what I saw the pepper spray didn't seem necessary, but from a lot of the reactions you would think the police were going about curb stomping folks.