Extra

Re Pepper Spray: an Open Letter to Berkeley City Council

Dr. James McFadden
Wednesday December 20, 2017 - 12:59:00 PM

Mayor and City Council,

As you proceed down the path of giving the Berkeley Police whatever tools of violence they demand, don't forget to consider police impunity and abuse of these pain compliance means of torture. The BPD has failed to acknowledge their role in the death of Kayla Moore and for their their violence against respected members of the community during the black lives matter protests, and have failed to even acknowledge racial profiling as documented in the CPE report. Last night you once again caved to the demands for additional police weapons by authorizing pepper spray use in crowds (thank you Cheryl, Kate, Kriss for voting against pepper spray). I suppose the next police demand will be for tasers when their tactics again fail and they blame the Council for not giving them enough "tools" of violence. 

Please watch the video embedded in this Reuters article regarding tasers. This is about police and prison guard impunity to get away with torture. Pain compliance is just a fancy name for torture.  

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-taser-ohio/ohio-politicians-call-for-inquiry-into-jail-stun-gun-abuses-cited-by-reuters-idUSKBN1ED1H6 

And for those of you who think pepper spray is just another "tool" - that it is not torture, please view this video of children exposed to pepper spray. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BD7l9Gq7a0&t=0m19s 

As JP[Massar] eloquently pointed out - it is the collateral damage that is the problem. Innocent non-violent protestors will be the ones who will get sprayed and react in excruciating pain like these children. And as Kelly[Hammargren] mentioned, if the victims are older, or have health problems, pepper spray could result in death - death that will point back to your votes last night. If BPD escalates their use of pain compliance on protestors, and begins an arms race, those who challenge police in order to incite police violence will not be harmed. As JP pointed out, they will be the agile youth who will know when to move, and will have gas masks for protection. It will be the non-violent public, the innocent bystanders, who will suffer.  

I know it is difficult to admit when you are wrong - especially in public - with TV cameras running. I could see the anger in Jesse for having to face a vote - blaming the PRC for having the audacity to actually question the logic of the pepper spray vote last September. But as Kate rightly pointed out, the Council voted in haste and fear, a shock doctrine vote for pepper spray. Alas it is difficult to admit a mistake. So instead last night one could hear the clownish excuses from Droste about how the pepper spray can was not that big - as if that mattered. You could hear the Police Chief dodge Bartlett's question about under what circumstances he would have used pepper spray during the last year. And you could see Council members falling over each other to praise the police as they provided them a weapon that will likely increase the risk of violence to both the police and the public. It was a sad vote that had more to do with saving face than with reducing violence in our community.  

I hope this path of police militarization does not continue as you face the votes on Urban Shield and NCRIC next year.