BPD May Now Use Pepper Spray for Crowd Control
Back in September, the Berkeley City Council used our anxieties about the alt-right as an excuse to temporarily lift the 20-year ban on BPD's using pepper spray for crowd control. Last night, the council voted 5-3 to continue the use of pepper spray at demos.
This is a reminder that the city will use “states of emergency” to push through reactionary policy. They used the word “temporary” to get their foot in the door.
“Several speakers said that individuals with pre-existing conditions like asthma or heart problems that could be triggered by pepper spray would be unfairly affected, and may be hesitant to attend protests if they know pepper spray could be discharged.”
