Pepper spraying of the Occupy Wall Street demonstrators
The pepper spraying of the Occupy Wall Street demonstrators is alleged to have been done by Anthony Bologna, [1] a New York City police officer and Deputy Inspector.[2] who is also alleged to have committed civil rights violations during protests surrounding the 2004 Republican National Convention.[3]
Interactions with protesters
Disputes with protesters in several events culminated in a burst of media coverage of Bologna's actions during the Occupy Wall Street event in September 2011.[4][5][6][7]
Bologna was on duty during a boycott of Korean grocery stores by black activists in 1990 and during the Crown Heights Riots of 1992.[8]
In 2004, Bologna faced complaints for his role during the Republican Convention held in New York City, allegedly committing false arrest and civil rights violations.[3]
On September 24, 2011, a widely publicized video showed Bologna macing members of the Occupy Wall Street protest movement earlier that day.[2]
According to NYPD Chief Spokesman Paul J. Browne, Bologna used pepper spray "appropriately," adding "Pepper spray was used once, after individuals confronted officers and tried to prevent them from deploying a mesh barrier — something that was edited out or otherwise not captured in the video."[9] Members of the Occupy Wall Street protest movement responded to this by releasing additional videos from several angles.[10] A second video posted to the Daily Kos,[11] apparently taken seconds later, showed Bologna spraying a photographer wearing a press card, who later said Bologna told him to leave the area and that he could be arrested.[12]
Deputy Inspector Roy T. Richter, head of the Captains Endowment Association, a union representing high-ranking officers, said "Deputy Inspector Bologna’s actions that day were motivated by his concern for the safety of officers under his command and the safety of the public. The limited use of pepper spray effectively restored order without any escalation of force or serious injury to either demonstrator or police officer." New York Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said that the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau would examine the incident, but also criticized "tumultuous" protesters whom he called "disorderly" and "intent on blocking traffic" as they marched on University Place. The use of pepper spray is primarily limited to use against those resisting arrest or for protection, but is allowed to officers with special training for use in "disorder control".[12]
References
- ^ Amateau, Albert (June 28-July 5, 2005). "After years of trouble-shooting, he gets a precinct". The VillagerTemplate:Inconsistent citations
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)CS1 maint: postscript (link) - ^ a b Fallows, James (September 25, 2011). "An Important Video to Watch: Pepper-Spray by a Cruel and Cowardly NYC Cop". The Atlantic Monthly.
- ^ a b McVeigh, Karen (September 27, 2011). "Occupy Wall Street: 'Pepper-spray' officer named in Bush protest claim". The Guardian (UK). The Guardian.
- ^ "Hackers grab Goldman CEO's personal data". CBS News. September 27, 2011.
- ^ Adam Martin. "Pepper Spray Cop Has a History of Tangling with Protesters". Atlantic Wire.
- ^ Dwyer, Jim (September 27, 2011). "A Spray Like a Punch in the Face". The New York Times.
- ^ Coscarelli, Joe (September 26, 2011). "Anonymous Outs NYPD Officer Who Pepper-Sprayed Occupy Wall Street Protesters". New York Magazine.
- ^ Amateau, Albert (June 24, 2005). "New captain busted pushers, gangsters and cops". Downtown Express.
- ^ Goldstein, Joseph (September 25, 2011). "Videos Show Police Using Pepper Spray at Protest on the Financial System". The New York Times.
- ^ "Officer Bologna" Occupy Wall Street website, September 26, 2011
- ^ Charlie Grapski (2011-09-28). "Bologna's Second Attack with Pepper Spray". Daily Kos.
- ^ a b Al Baker and Joseph Goldstein (2011-09-28). "Officer's Pepper-Spraying of Protesters Is Under Investigation". New York Times.