Nonviolent Protesting

[Empty Glass]

I'd like to share with the forum something that happened at my alma mater last night.

But before I get to it, I need to share this video, which you might have seen or heard of by now considering how fast I've watched it spread throughout the internet. If you haven't, be warned: the first minute is a bit disturbing.

I really don't care about where you stand on the Occupy movement, on university protests regarding tuition, etc. To me, the issue here is how casually the police officer pepper sprayed those students after stepping out from their circle. I don't think there was any reason to do so, and he certainly was not in any real danger that necessitated its use. Even my tea party-conservative friend who's completely against OWS thinks this is an excessive use of force.

Now, fast forward to last night after much rage has been spilled out...the chancellor of the university was going to hold a press conference to discuss the pepper spraying incident, and word of it got out to protestors. So naturally they gathered outside the building where it was at, trying to enter at various times and attempting to make their voices heard. But when it was finally time for the chancellor to leave, they lined up along the pathway to her car to let her peacefully depart - in complete silence.

Again, this is really what I wanted to share. I don't think I've seen a more incredible example of truly nonviolent protest.

If you want to read more on this whole incident, it shouldn't be too hard to find an article about it. It was at the very top of Google News yesterday.

[Pa'li Makto]

The minute of that first video.. It reminded me of what I heard happened in Seattle with that 84 yr old woman being pepper sprayed. My heart goes out to that brave lady, and the other non violent protesters who have been pepper sprayed, tear gassed or assaulted in any way.

Violence of any type is wrong in my honest opinion, no matter how people try to justify it. The excessive use of pepper spray and tear gas in some of the Occupy protests really worries me. The police almost everywhere have been using all kinds of force to remove or challenge protesters. For the sceptics out there that's not an assumption, it's a fact.

[iron_jones]

Those punks were blocking pedestrian traffic and were asked to leave. They didn't so they got maced.
What did they think was gonna happen?

[Human No More]

There's something called reasonable force even where people are being a danger to others (which can happen when they aren't performing any violent acts). That was not it though.

[Empty Glass]

Originally Posted by Pa'li Makto

The minute of that first video.. It reminded me of what I heard happened in Seattle with that 84 yr old woman being pepper sprayed. My heart goes out to that brave lady, and the other non violent protesters who have been pepper sprayed, tear gassed or assaulted in any way.

I know. I was so revolted when I first saw it and I can't bring myself to watch it again or from any other angle. Virtually my entire Facebook newsfeed yesterday and Friday evening consisted of outrage from my friends at what had happened.

Originally Posted by Human No More

There's something called reasonable force even where people are being a danger to others (which can happen when they aren't performing any violent acts). That was not it though.

Exactly. The officer using the pepper spray might even have been breaking state law just by doing that:

Originally Posted by California Penal Code Section 12403.7 (a) (8) (g)

Any person who uses tear gas or tear gas weapons except in self-defense is guilty of a public offense and is punishable by imprisonment in a state prison for 16 months, or two or three years or in a county jail not to exceed one year or by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both the fine and imprisonment, except that, if the use is against a peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2, engaged in the performance of his or her official duties and the person committing the offense knows or reasonably should know that the victim is a peace officer, the offense is punishable by imprisonment in a state prison for 16 months or two or three years or by a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both the fine and imprisonment.

[Moco Loco]

Originally Posted by Empty Glass

How eerie. But yes, extremely nonviolent

[Pa'li Makto]

This is an interesting point you brought up Empty Glass.

Originally Posted by California Penal Code Section 12403.7 (a) (8) (g)
Any person who uses tear gas or tear gas weapons except in self-defense is guilty of a public offense and is punishable by imprisonment in a state prison for 16 months, or two or three years or in a county jail not to exceed one year or by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both the fine and imprisonment, except that, if the use is against a peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2, engaged in the performance of his or her official duties and the person committing the offense knows or reasonably should know that the victim is a peace officer, the offense is punishable by imprisonment in a state prison for 16 months or two or three years or by a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both the fine and imprisonment.

I don't know if it's as easy to charge a policeman/woman as easy as what it is to charge a civilian. I suppose we can keep our hopes up in the meantime.

[Empty Glass]

Originally Posted by Pa'li Makto

I don't know if it's as easy to charge a policeman/woman as easy as what it is to charge a civilian. I suppose we can keep our hopes up in the meantime.

Yeah, I really don't know either. :\ The officer in question has been placed on administrative leave, but it will be very, very interesting to see what becomes of him as far as the law goes.

In any case, his name is now known all over and he's already achieving meme status across the interwebs.

[Pa'li Makto]

That's comforting to know. I hope those who were sprayed receive some sort of compensation, or at least an apology.

I've seen more information on the policeman who did it on Anonymous though I won't post the link here.

[Aquaplant]

It's admirable when people think they can make a difference with nonviolent methods, but the truth is that those who look at the wrong end of the gun always loose.

We are fragile physical beings that can easily be subdued with minimal amount of force. The same unfortunate fact holds true in the mental department, as we are social mass animals, seeking the acceptance from rest of the pack, whatever the cost.

[Pa'li Makto]

That isn't necessarily true. Look at Gandi and Nelson Mandela, as well as anyone else who has refused to give in. You can stay with the pack or you can stand on your own two feet and stand up for what you believe in. People can have the inner nature to be able to realise that compromising your own beliefs for acceptance is diminishing their own self worth. There are those who do but then there are many others that don't.

[Human No More]

Tear gas isn't pepper spray.
Just saying.

There are a few exceptions to the rule, but for every one, there are dozens who try and fail - look at Burma or Tibet some time.

[Pa'li Makto]

Burma and Tibet..I hope the people there can be free one day.

[Theorist]

Wow... sad video. I wonder if this stuff will come to my University or city.

I would say too that non violent protesting can definitely work. A lot of MLKs stuff worked, not all, but some did. But sometimes it doesn't work, and when it doesn't it's hard to watch. I remember I used to day dream about people on this forum living together in a tribe in the last forest on earth, and people coming in and holding us at gun point, but we would not leave, we told them they had to shoot us while they looked us in the eye. Those were good day dreams. Sometimes I feel that if you don't protest peacefully, then you don't accomplish anything, because you're no different than the people using force to stop your protest.

[Crickett]

Originally Posted by Theorist

Wow... sad video. I wonder if this stuff will come to my University or city.

It very well may. It recently came to my old university. I now have three very short self taken videos of protests on my phone. That seems to have only garnered local coverage however.

By the way, let me say this.

Seeing a protest coming your way is ****in frightening. Even a peaceful one. Watching them coming towards where you are is scary as hell. But finding out what happened to them on the 11 o'clock news after you left is indeed sad.