This video shows NYPD DI Anthony Bologna pepper spraying protesters at the Occupy Wall Street demonstration in Greenwich Village, New York. Suffice to say it has caused controversy.
I have very mixed feelings on this. The use of pepper spray on this occasion probably was unnecessary and over-the-top, with the protesters targeted demonstrating peacefully and moving away from the scene.
However, protests such as this one have a tendency to spiral out of control, and the police have to ensure that doesn’t happen. One way of doing this is getting people to move on and break up any large groups that are forming.
I’m all for peaceful protests, but I also tend to side with the police on these occasions. They have a difficult job to do, and it’s virtually impossible to make the right call in the heat of the moment on every single occasion.
