Amazing photo of Occupy Portland protester being pepper sprayed

[eeyore]

I wasn't there, and don't know first hand the circumstances that led to it. From what I've seen so far with Occupy Portland, though, there is definitely a contingent that is out to push a reaction from the police. According to The Oregonian, and from what I've seen on Twitter, the protesters were warned and given ample opportunity to make a different decision. Call me a victim blamer if you will, but I'm pretty sure she was pushing for this reaction from the cops.

Lots of action in Portland today, and from what I've experienced in my travels, lots of mixed reaction from Portlanders who were not protesting. Many mixed feelings coming out of my lefty friends in Portland.

Here's the accompanying article:
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/11/occupy_portland_police_protest.html

Portland police and protesters got into a tense shoving match at Southwest Sixth Avenue and Yamhill Street late Thursday afternoon as officers tried to clear the roadway, and officers ended up using pepper spray to get control of the crowd.

Tensions between officers and protesters began to rise about 4:25 p.m. when police warned protesters that anyone in the street would be arrested. A minute later police sprayed the crowd.

The crowd became enraged, throwing objects at police and screaming at police, "Who do you serve? Who do you protect? Multiple protesters could be seen pouring water in their eyes trying to clear the spray.

Then the crowd quieted, and things are now calm.

[Huey P. Long]

1. Damn.

[MedleyMisty]

2. Thank you for the picture

But considering your story a couple of nights ago completely contradicted what we all saw from Portland on the livestream AND the local news feed and even the reports from the police, I'm going to doubt the text of this post as well.

[eeyore]

5. Whatever you say...

If the cops say get out of the street or we'll pepper spray you, and you don't, then you're asking to get pepper sprayed. Pretty much end of story. She knew what she was doing, and got the reaction they were angling for.

[sabrina 1]

46. Can you explain why Americans are being told they will be

arrested for being on the street? Can you explain this huge show of force for peaceful protests which never turn violent until the COPS SHOW UP?

And why do you find spraying a citizen in the face with pepper-spray to be acceptable in this country?

I called the Portland Police last weekend after watching the disgraceful display of force, which looked like an invading army, against peaceful protesters.

I asked the cop who answered the phone why they were treating the American people like 'the enemy'?

He was disturbed that that is how people see it, he said he knows they are not the enemy, so I asked again 'then why are they bringing in these armies of heavily armed robo cops which many people believe is a danger and a threat to the public'. He said he was not far enough up in the chain of command to answer that question. He did not disagree but could not give me an answer, he asked me to call the Chief.

I reminded him what happened in Oakland, he assured me they had that in mind every day and did not want a repeat of that. I suggested that maybe they should just stay away then as these protests, Oakland eg with over 100,000 people, are peaceful all day, until the cops show up.

I do NOT believe that woman did anything to warrant that attack. The 84 year old woman yesterday, or the pastor, or the City Councilman in NYC, none of THEM did anything either.

All the violence that has occurred over the past two months has been at the hands of the police. So they deserve NO benefit of the doubt. These are their tactics, to attack American citizens, unprovoked, and have been from the beginning.

[unapatriciated]

12. yep, those pesky cameras get in the way of their revised story of the event.

:thumbsup:

[grasswire]

29. thank you n/t

[Barack_America]

3. Oh, so she "asked for it".

Typical.

[WildNovember]

Doesn't that take the cake?

[gkhouston]

50. Just like that guy asked to get his head busted.

At this rate, next week, people will be "asking" to be shot.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[eeyore]

7. She's not necessarily a victim.

The cops told them to get out of the street or get sprayed. They stood their ground and got sprayed. That doesn't make them victims, it makes them people who stood their ground to make a political statement.

[Nostradammit]

11. It makes them citizens who exercised their civil rights.

Some people don't get that.

[eeyore]

24. It's called civil disobedience for a reason.

It's every person's right to break the law on purpose as an act of civil disobedience. It's also the right of the people who enforce the laws to do so. You can't say that they didn't know what the hell they were doing. They were told they were breaking the law by blocking roads without a permit. It's not anyone's right to disrupt the city, and the protesters damn well know that. That's why it's called civil disobedience. They knew exactly what they were doing. The only right they were exercising was that of breaking the law to make a point. They did, and they got the reaction that they set out to get.

[Mojorabbit]

19. Is is dangerous to get such a direct blast to the eyes and mouth? nt

[Zorra]

20. Defendant: I told those kids to get out of my yard, or I'd shoot 'em.

They didn't get out of my yard. So I shot them all in the legs.

Judge: 30 yrs, no parole.

[WildNovember]

6. Yeah, the oregonian fishwrap is an unimpeachable source. They always give you the straight dope.

I didn't realize that asking "Who do you serve, who do you protect?" was grounds for pepper spray. Tell that to the NYPD, since I heard the same chant there.

Right, all the Portland lefties have "mixed feelings" about these actions. No doubt. They're such a bunch of handwringers.

[eeyore]

14. Broaden your sample pool

Not every liberal/progressive in Portland is a radical black bloc anarchist. In fact, most find them to be a bunch of reactionary jackasses who are looking for a fight.

[WildNovember]

17. My sample pool is quite large, thank you for the advice but it's not needed, I assure you.

I'm rather old & quite past the "black bloc" demographic. My sources lean more to the Christian/union left, & they're pretty good with all this.

[me b zola]

43. Tell me why you are deliberately misleading about who the occupy pdx movement are

Why are you doing this?

Black bloc anarchist? Really? That is how you would characterize the participants of the occupy pdx movement? You cannot be in the portland area and remotely have that impression of the movement. Even the crappy local media have shown all of the lazy "news" watchers that the movement is very diverse in terms of age, income/social status, race, and gender. Even the lazy media have interviewed quite comfortable polished people who march with and contribute to occupy pdx.

What is motivating you to deceive readers about the movement?

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Canuckistanian]

9. What an ugly scene

What do the police think they're gaining by such extreme tactics?

Don't they realize that images like this will only ENCOURAGE others to join the demonstration?

[msongs]

10. wow you werent there and you read her mind thru a photo you saw AFTER the fact! awesome! nt

[wickerwoman]

13. The purpose of pepper spray is to subdue threats.

Tell me what the man in full body armor with a gun, taser and pepper spray had to feel actually threatened by an unarmed girl half his size standing four feet away from him with her hands at her sides?

Again, police are issued with pepper spray so that they can subdue people who are *physically* threatening them, not so they can punish people who are saying, or even screaming, things that they don't want to hear.

That is *not* why they are authorized by society to use force.

[eeyore]

18. I don't think that's what happened here

Occupy Portland protesters were marching through downtown, blocking major streets, and blocking bank entrances. The cops, as I understand it, told them to stay on the sidewalks, and they refused to. The cops warned them that if they didn't get out of the street, they would get sprayed. The protesters took that as a challenge and point of threat, and the cops made good on their promise. Pretty much end of story.

[wickerwoman]

22. Again, this girl was not physically threatening the police.

If she refused to move off private property, then the police could certainly have arrested her without also spraying her.

The spray here was used to punish her for non-compliance. That is not what the police are designed to do. They are there to "protect and serve". The courts are there to punish. If she was doing something illegal, she should have been arrested and given a trial by her peers and then, if necessary, assigned a punishment by a judge. You know, the Bill of Rights... that inconvenient little piece of paper that says nobody (even, and perhaps especially, the police) has the right to just beat the shit out of us without a trial when we haven't actually broken any laws.

[shanti]

45. the LEO's were protecting alright

protecting TPTB. :(

[Bonobo]

23. Pepper spray and other police tools are not meant to be punishments or compliance devices.

They are to protect the officers or others from physical threats.

I don't mean to be overly offensive to you personally. but your failure to understand that point truly suggest to me that you are part of the larger problem vis a vis police/civilian relations.

You DO need to get a clue, Eeyore.

[eeyore]

28. I'm not defending the cop's decision to use the spray.

I'm just saying that if a bunch of cops tell you to move or get sprayed, and you don't, then you shouldn't be surprised if you get sprayed. I was down there last Saturday, and while everyone can say that they were being peaceful, I saw plenty of people who came quite prepared with gas masks and water. I watched a guy run into the middle of the crowd shouting, "Let's get fucking gassed!"

There is a political value in getting the cops to react, and there are many people out there willing to push the cops into it. This photo is gold for the Occupy folks.

[Bonobo]

32. Could have fooled me. nt

[eeyore]

36. Just being realistic.

She stood her ground, and got sprayed, just like they said she would. Now she has a photo of herself standing her ground and being a committed badass. Now she gets to be the face of the struggle. She had options, and this is the one she chose. Good for her.

[Bonobo]

40. Your preconceived judgments are so completely obvious. nt

[ZombieHorde]

30. I completely agree. Well said. nt

[gkhouston]

49. The people giving orders to the police feel threatened.

Contagious ideas are dangerous. :sarcasm:

[Spazito]

15. Courageous young woman!

The police....not so much.

[OKDem08]

16. You need to look within I think. Why would you automatically

assume that she was asking for it without knowing the circumstances. Improper use of cognitive functions, blue one.

[eeyore]

21. No, the group as a whole was pushing for a reaction.

Are you kidding? This photos is gold for the movement. This is every protester's badge of honor dream photo! You can't tell me that the movement doesn't hope for police overreaction to prove their point. I've watched them goad the cops for hours, hoping to get a cop to do anything slightly aggressive, just so they can trumpet the injustice.

[grasswire]

35. fail n/t

[eeyore]

37. Fail?

How eloquently you express your difference in opinion. Thank you for your thoughtful response.

[OKDem08]

44. I tend to disagree. I think these people are there because

they are genuinely idealistic & just crazy enough to think they can affect change. But when treated in a hostile, restricting manner it is instinctive to lash out. Perhaps we should agree to disagree. Regardless, the beatings will likely continue until morale improves. : ) Peace

[sabrina 1]

52. Goading the cops?? Are you serious?

The old woman who was sprayed in the face who was on her out to go home, was 'goading the police'?? I guess she was, she had the nerve to BE THERE.
It's funny, these protests are completely without violence until the police show up and start riots.

The POLICE HAVE BEEN GOADING the protesters, hoping to incite them to violence. We've been watching, the whole world has been watching, and filming and recording their tactics from DAY 1.

Oakland, NYC, LA, SF, no matter where you go, there is no violence, UNTIL the Cops show up.

We have hours and hours of footage, from all angles, and there is zero doubt that it is the cops who are attempting to incite violence.

No doubt, thousands of witnesses, film, video make that an indisputable fact.

You are simply wrong, and as for this photo, it is typical of what we have seen, like what happened to the 84 year old woman, sprayed in the face for no reason. I hope she sues, and that cop should not be allowed on the streets, he is a threat to the people.

[eeyore]

39. They were told to get out of traffic or get sprayed.

They held their ground and thus got sprayed. Action and reaction. Pretty simple. They were being civilly disobedient by refusing to stop blocking traffic, and were told what the consequence would be. I don't see what's unclear here.

[Fire Walk With Me]

25. She still wins. Thanks for the pic!

[eeyore]

33. I agree, that's my point.

She gets a photo that shows for the rest of her life how committed and badass she was. Anyone who denies that is being pretty damn disingenuous. She stood her ground and took the heat. Not really a victim in my book.

[Warren Stupidity]

26. she was asking for it?

gosh where have I heard that excuse before?

The poor storm troopers, forced to suffer such abuse from that angry woman.

[eeyore]

31. They were warned that if they didn't get on the sidewalk they'd get sprayed

They stood their ground and got the reaction they were looking for. And she got a pretty badass photo out of the deal, too.

[Bonobo]

34. You really need to stop digging. nt

[eeyore]

38. Why, are you going to start questioning my commitment to the struggle?

Whatever. You have an opinion and I have an opinion. Get over yourself. You aren't the arbiter of what's acceptable to say or believe. I'll dig all I damn well please. I know what I've seen, and if you don't agree with me I really don't care.

[Bonobo]

41. Well then fine, I will share my opinion and you can just shut up and not comment or reply.

My opinion is that you have a strong preconceived opinion that this woman went out looking for trouble so that she could get a photo, in your words, of her "being a badass".

That is the most generous I can be about you.

My true opinion will go unsaid for the time being.

[sabrina 1]

47. Why was that warning given to peaceful people?

What right have the police to threaten people like this? This is totally unacceptable and no one should be encouraging these brutal thugs.

Every act of violence that has occurred, including the near killing of two veterans, one old woman, and several other people, has been at the hands of the police. They have attacked people consistently without provocation.

They had no right to threaten those people, and even less right to attack that woman who was exercising her rights. Seems people forget, those cops are supposed to be working for US. Because that is who pays their salaries. And I hope they sued by every citizen they have harmed.

This hopefully will finally get the issue of police brutality, which is out of control in this country, into the light and bring about reform and the firing of anyone whose personality is not suited for the trust that is placed in them to 'defend and protect' the people who pay their salaries.

[gkhouston]

51. +1. A citation or a nonviolent arrest would be a proportionate response.

This is intimidation, and an attempt to provoke the protesters to violence.

[Sparkly]

27. She "drew contact."

:eyes: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2318020

[Tsiyu]

42. You must be so pleased

She sure got what was due her, huh? After all, it IS the cops' job to punish people on the street. Who needs the courts? Who needs due process or even the First Amendment for that matter? If the cops disable/beat the fuck out of people, they won't gum up those judges' dockets, after all.

Sounds like you are just absolutely THRILLED to see a young woman get burned in the face full-on with pepper spray. Don't get callouses, now, in your orgasmic excitement...

[EFerrari]

48. Victm blamer.

[Fire Walk With Me]

53. The picture is now an online article:

http://hyperallergic.com/40758/one-most-chilling-photos-ows/

One of the Most Chilling Photos from OWS
by Hrag Vartanian on November 18, 2011

There haven’t been very many iconic images or art works coming out of the Occupy Wall Street movement yet things may be changing. In addition to the OWS “bat signal” that we posted about earlier today, this photograph in The Guardian by AP photographer Randy L. Rasmussen may be one of the most incredible images captured during the international protests.

Taken yesterday, during the November 17 day of action at Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland, Oregon, the young protester being pepper sprayed by riot police is a visual symbol of the power imbalance taking place at this protests. Seemingly faceless black-clad police with visors and helmets are pushing back and harming non-violent protesters. Here the protester’s face is fully exposed to a stream of pepper spray, according to the caption, while an adjacent protester holds up the peace sign. We can only imagine the brutal burning sensation the protester was about to experience the moment after this image was taken.

(That's the entire article)

[Bonobo]

54. Yeah. Here's the OP. Had to make sure I was remembering right.

Un-fucking-believable.

[piratefish08]

55. fucking pig.