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News :: Miscellaneous |
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From the Father of the Pepper sprayed children in Portland . . . |
Current rating: 0 |
by Don Joughin via ML
Email: a22brutality (nospam) attbi.com (unverified!) |
26 Aug 2002
Modified: 28 Aug 2002 |
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scary . . . some cops are dogs. |
First and foremost I want to thank from the bottom of my heart the kind humanbeings who helped my children, my wife and me after we were pepper sprayed by the Portland Police. We were aided immediately by fellow demonstrators, the black cross and passers-by caught in the crossfire. These people shielded us with their bodies and soothed us with their treatments and words, and argued with police, putting themselves in danger, to secure our safe passage through the cordon. Their actions stand in beautiful contrast to the savage inhumanity of the police.
We brought our children to a peaceful protest, we stayed in the back and we were walking on the sidewalk. The march stopped at the intersection of 2nd and Alder we could not see why from our position on the SW corner of the intersection. Police quickly moved up behind us and a moment or two later sprayed pepper spray into the crowd from the NE corner of the intersection. the crowd ran toward us to escape the spray. We asked the oficer closest to us how we should exit the intersection. He pointed and said to exit to the NE, into the spraying police opposite him. as the crowd pressed toward us I yelled to him to let us through (south on 2nd) because we had three small children. He looked at me, and drew out his can from his hip and sprayed directly at me. I was at an angle to him and the spray hit my right eye and our three year-old who I was holding in my right arm. In the same motion he turned the can on my wife who was holding our 10 month old baby and doused both of their heads entirely from a distance of less than 3 feet. my six year old daughter was holding my left hand and was not hit directly. We ended up on the sidewalk a few feet down alder with fellow protesters holding my screaming children and and pouring water on our eyes. Someone yelled that the police had said that we could pass through the cordon on alder with the children. I picked up the baby and other protesters brought my wife and other children to the police line. We attempted to pass through but they leaned in shoulders to block us. I yelled at them to let us pass for about two minutes and finally some officer up the line nodded me and the baby through. they were not going to let my wife and other children out but after a few minutes of pleading from the crowd and another signal from up the line they let them out. As we passed the officers were laughing and said something to the effect of "thats why you shouldn't bring kids to protests".
I immediatly called 911 as we moved up to the corner of 3rd and alder. I explained that a baby had been directly pepper sprayed and that I needed an ambulance. They informed me that they would not send one and that all protesters were to report to a first aid tent on the other side of the police lines. Fellow protestors aided us until Black Cross arrived. Business people brought water from the nearby offices and someone bought some juice for the children. Two KBOO staffers drove up in their Volvo and took us to Emmanuel ER. One of the protestors who had helped us from the beginning accompanied us to the hospital and waited with us until the kids were admitted (special thanks!). The children were examined for rhespritory problems and chemical burns. Luckily all were only suffering "normal" pepper spray reactions that have no treatment but to wait. The Pediatrician kept us a little longer so that she could call poison control to check for other recomended procedures as she had never in her career seen an infant pepper spray victim.
On the way to the E.R. my three year old said that those guys back there were trying to get us and said we should call the police. |
See also:
http://sf.indymedia.org/news/2002/08/143012.php
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Are You Experienced? |
by Frank
Frank1423 (nospam) hotmail.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
27 Aug 2002
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Truely, those who helped you and your family deserve your praise. What an aweful situation. Still, I wonder if you have reassessed your notion of a "peaceful protest." Unfortunately, there is no such animal, because you cannot assume anything on the part of your opponnent (or about your fellow protestors for that matter), especially in such a chaotic environment.
-Just Being Frank |
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your point? |
by JF
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
28 Aug 2002
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What's the point of "reassessing" this situation? Should everyone stay away from protests except people with the lack of trust you advocate? I've been to numerous peaceful protests. A spirit of trust and cooperation prevailed. |
