Police Employ Pepper Spray on Occupy Protesters

The Occupy Portland protest took a turn last Thursday when police and protesters clashed in downtown Portland. As a result, police employed pepper spray on the protesters to disperse the crowd.

According to a Portland Police Bureau spokesman, it is reported that at least 48 protesters were arrested during the course of the day.

Fourteen of those arrested were located at or near the Chase Bank near Pioneer Courthouse Square. This is where the day’s dramatic confrontations between protesters and police took place.

The protesters initially gathered at the bank around 3.30 p.m. where it appeared that they had entered the lobby or the main entrance. One protester is alleged to have climbed up into the entrance window.

In response, the Portland Police Bureau’s mounted patrol and rapid response units moved in where police ordered the protesters to clear the streets.

A confrontation between the two sides then erupted as police moved in. As a result, officers then employed their self defense spray on protesters.

In this day and age, it is important for police to have access to a wide range of self defense tools that they can employ at a moment’s notice should they need it. When it comes to large crowds the most effective self defense device available is that of pepper spray.

Not only is it easy to use, but because it is non-lethal it is also safe to use on a person as well. Once sprayed the effects on the person targeted are instant, which gives police enough time to apprehend the individuals in question.

The employment of pepper spray also means that the use of brute force is no longer a requirement. As brute force is no longer a factor this means that the potential for harm is eliminated, which would be a factor to consider if another device was employed instead.

Knowing that there is a device on hand for police to use at a moment’s notice means that they can focus on doing their jobs without having to worry about the repercussions that they would otherwise expect if another device was used instead on protesters.