Take it out of the cops' salaries. The protesters are sitting there like sitting ducks while this arrogant a**hole sprays them??? Yeah, pay up. Law enforcement is supposed to be the epitome of civility, restraint, law and order. American society is, sadly, eroding from all sides...

Geez... you have to get sprayed in the face more than once to cover your tuition?!

Love that the lawyers get enough for a house... students get enough for a year's enrollment...

Cheese head it wasn't just any old can of pepper spray you have on a key ring. It's not even the kind that officers carry on patrol. This was an enormous container with extremely strong pepper spray at high pressure pulled out of the department armory along with the riot gear he's wearing, designed to disperse huge crowds at distances.

Let's see you take a blast to the face from that can, tough guy, and we can time how quickly you cry for an ambulance. I'd wager you'd cave instantly.

Bill, this is the last line in the article. Next time read the entire thing.

Pike was fired on July 31 by the campus police chief who took over the university’s police department after the chief who was in charge last fall, Annette Spicuzza, stepped down under fire.

You're full of crap, cheese-boy. The burning effects persist for up to six hours afterward. If you have asthma, or any of a host of other medical conditions, it can lead to your death. Don't try to tell me such nonsense. People have died as a result of being sprayed. I have asthma, and if by some chance I ever get pepper sprayed, the lawsuit would make this one look like child's play.

SmallBizGirl, It's exactly what the patriots did before and during the Revolution. Fricken try reading some history. Ever hear of the Boston Massacre? Where in the First Amendment does it say you can only protest where and when it is approved or government sanctioned?

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

What irony. These students were in part protesting the recent tuition hikes, faculty furloughs, and class reductions due to the budget crisis. With this $1M payout, it will worsen the situation for all of the other students at UC.

For those who say "so they got pepper sprayed, so what". As I understand it, pepper spray's intended use is to attempt control of a violent or similarly unstable person. In this incident it appears to have been applied simply as a punative action. No one was acting threateningly, so what was the need for the pepper spray? May as well have just gone and beat the crap out of them.

With this $1M payout, it will worsen the situation for all of the other students at UC.

Doubtful. This is exactly what donor funds are for. Even if taxpayers or students are held responsible, it's a small price to pay for justice. There is NO EXCUSE for what this cop did and for the way the University handled it. It's shameful.

it does pay to sit around sometimes

papabran, WRONG. Pepper spray levels vary wildly and can be measured by their CRC (capsaicin and related capsaicinoids) content.

Next time you're in a conversation about pepper spray it might help you to check out pepper spray on wikipedia before you whip out that useless Jack Daniels analogy.

It's amazing how many people writing comments here can't read well enough--or far enough--to know that Pike, the policeman who sprayed the protesters, was fired.

Pike was fired on July 31 by the campus police chief who took over the university’s police department after the chief who was in charge last fall, Annette Spicuzza, stepped down under fire.

The cop - Lt. John Pike - was fired. There was NO lawful order to disperse. This is still America. We still have the right to assemble peaceably. Those students violated no laws and they should be compensated.

As far as John Pike....he's good for some laughs. Check out this site:

David Walker.....you almost got me fired on a web conference! Please, you should've warned me that the pics in this link I opened were this damned hilarious. These photos of this fat cop are just over the top crazy funny....I laughed so hard at him pepper spraying everthing from Ali's opponent to characters in renaissance paintings I accidentally unmuted my laptop mic and interrupted my VP's presentation. Oh well, I needed a good laugh this week so thanks. :)

Is this worthless "rent-a-cop" still working there? Plain as day they can identify his useless ass. Usually pigs like him are one of two things, a pervert who likes looking at young girls so he applies to college campuses, or wasn't smart enough to pass a city/state/federal law enforcement officers test.

Gotta love ignorant people on both sides of the spectrum. If one were to do any research in to the subject, they would fine that "The UCPD is one of several police agencies in California having a state-wide jurisdiction and authority (other examples include the California Highway Patrol, the California State University Police Department, and the California Department of Fish and Game)."
They are state police. Also, he was fired but some people jump to conclusions and can't actually focus long enough to think about and look into what they are saying.

I'll volunteer to be sprayed. My granddaughter wants to go to UCD. I could pay their ridiculous tuition with that settlement (At least 1 year of it, hopefully)

ACLU, SEIU, and other RADICAL organizations, are taking to a Michigan court a lawsuit which will allow ILLEGAL ALIENS (IMMIGRANTS) TO VOTE.

Mighty big jump to say that illegals are being allowed to vote just because the SoS decided on her own, against the rule of the Mi. governor, to ask an illegal question. This SoS also stated that there she knows that there are 4000 illegals registered to vote, that was specifically her duty to ensure were legal before she registered them. She broke the law by registering illegal voters, she broke the law with her deciding to put this question on the ballot, and she screams that it is the fault of anyone except herself. More lies and more fear mongering from the right. How surprising that they would try to suppress the vote when they are at fault for picking a lousy candidate.

Hummmmmmmmmmmmm ~~~

Spicuzza told the Sacramento Bee that police used the pepper spray after they were surrounded. Protesters were warned repeatedly beforehand that force would be used if they didn’t move, she said.

“There was no way out of that circle,” Spicuzza said. “They were cutting the officers off from their support. It’s a very volatile situation.”

Any fair minded, rational human that viewed the video could see that was not true! it was abundantly clear that the demonstration was peaceful ... Why did Spicuzza authorize such a "inappropriate" and "incendiary" violent response?

Because she thought she could get away with it without punishment! The pendulum has moved so far to the right, that once responsible people in law enforcement know that they can mistreat the population and get away with it ... even the youth. It is obvious that she acted with the full support of Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi ... time for her to resign ... she should have been fired over this incident.

Yolo County District Attorney’s office said in a statement last week that there was insufficient evidence to prove the use of force was illegal.

Another act showing how government officials fail to act in concert with the public interest ... The video shows it all ... these individuals civil rights were violated ... they had a legitimate constitutional right to peaceful assembly ... without believing that right would be met with violence by the university police ... My personal belief is that the university expected a violent reaction from them when they were "Assaulted" by officer Pike so they would have a excuse for more violent reaction to the protest and were surprised when it didn't occur ...

Since the prosecutor doesn't see a reason to prosecute those responsible for the Constitutional violations .. The Feds should step in as to show good faith ...

Listen to all the tough liberals on here. I would love to see all of you badasses say what you post to a cops face. I dont agree with the cop but then again I dont agree with the entitled kids either. Here is a good question, how many of these college students will use their lottery money to pay off their student loans? My guess is 1 will out of the bunch.

As long as the $1 million payout is covered by tuition hikes next semester, it's all good.

Cheesehead 413 is right. I would add that the Pampered folks in the ivory tower running the place were never exposed to the spray. 1. So have no idea what they were paying for. As bad as it is, it is not permanently harmful or else the manaufacturer and the police using it and their bosses would get sued everytime they used it. IT's bad for 15 minutes then you are OK. IT's a major crime to give away $30K plus lawyers fees. 2. IF you are a gubmint employee, with a paycheck for life guarantee no mtter if good stuff happens or bad stuff happens, paying claims with money when you have no skin in the game is easy to do. So the pampered folks in the ivory tower can agree to give away money that has no effect on them. IT means nothing to them, although they will holler on camera it's killin them. They know how to play on stage. 3. The Police Lt who did it got fired but we don't know if he is barred from being a cop somewhere else. Sometimes they go to another agency and their career continues.

With any luck, California will just fall off in the ocean and be done with it already! Its not like they are not bankrupt already!

Funny how all the RICH movie stars that live there and they cant pay their debts????

It's sadly amusing reading the posts from the tea baggers on this thread. These supposed constitutional patriots will show up to their bagger rallies fully armed, wanting some kind of confrontation just so they can show off their second amendment rights. Yet when there's a peaceful sit in by unarmed college students aligned with the occupy movement, all of the sudden they're the scum of the earth and deserve to get pepper sprayed during a peaceful protest? These rights that we're granted by the Constitution protect all of us, not just the tea baggers!

Good news on the settlement, but bad news on the reason the cop wasn't charged with a crime.

Apparently, there was insufficient evidence that he acted illegally. I mean, it's not like there was a video of him macing a bunch of peaceful pr

otesters who were doing nothing more than sitting quietly on the ground not hurting a single soul.

Oh, wait. What's that? There IS video of it? And that's what started the whole national outrage over the incident in the first place?

Ah. Well, then, I guess the next time a bank robber gets caught from being identified in surveillance videos, he can point to this legal precedent in arguing that video of him committing his crime isn't sufficient evidence that a crime was committed.

FedupwithFed

I really hope whatever backwards redneck state you live in falls into the ocean.

I wish offficer jack off had to pay that and not the tax payers. Freakin pigs think b/c they carry guns their gods, buck the police. It's protect and serve not wrongfully accuse and abuse clowns.

Oregon Pat,

Another clueless lib. Please post how many arrests were made at these out of control Tea Party rallies that you are talking about. I love how libs call people rednecks if they dont agree with the commie liberal mind set. I live in Chicago and I dont agree with your lefty views. Does that make me a redneck?

"

SmallBizGirl Comment collapsed by the community

Ah, so it's OK to defy our police now... Those little turds were told to split and for their little protest they got a pepper-spray-bong-hit. So now we have set the precedent that if you defy a police order and get pepper sprayed you can make some serious cash. I imagine Goldman Sachs may create a derivative for that...

"
1. These are Univeristy Cops (basically rent a cop)
2. They can not make unlawful orders. (yes they also have to obey the law)
3. They had a Constitutional right to peaceful protest on Public property, which is what they were doing.
4. They were assaulted period.
5. I think you're the turd.

OregonPat #1.39 -

Standing up for straight people rights?

I'm not sure how you know if there are gay men commenting on this thread, but your disdain for them comes through load & clear with the derogatory term you use describing them.

They got what they wanted.....free money...well planned I would say

That's kinda funny Spencer. Not toooooo lazy considering they were college kids, not drug dealers, baby mamas and the like.

So your solution is that they should be kicked out of school for having a non-violent protest?

Then say hello to more drug dealers and baby mamas and welfare recipients.

Haven't figured out how to look at the big picture huh?

Not only did they NOT get kicked out of school, but they are getting money to keep going to school! Don't worry, bet one of them will be your boss some day.

OregonPat, Occupy movement? BWAAAAHAAAA!! A group of pissy little college students trying to act like it's the 60'S is a joke, not a movement. If they were busy studing and working they wouldn't have time to waste on crap like this, but alas, it's @!$%#ed up California.

far right wing whack jobs.. That protest was about tuition hikes and they were peaceful.

No reason for pepper spray and because an over zealous rent a cop got out of control the University was sued, and rightfully so

I guess you far right winger 2 faced chumps only believe in the constitution when someone is defending your agenda.

THERE WAS NO VIOLENCE, and THEY HAD EVERY RIGHT OT PROTEST

Wow, talk about heads up the proverbial culos. They did not have the right to obstruct public walk ways, which they were doing, nor did they "have the right" to set up tents in the quads, where by the way, there are no open toilets on the weekends. But hey, at least you love Boorack. They got what they deserved, they were given the opportunity to relocate, but stood to their "rights". Give me a fnn break. Wake up tards.

the officer needs the can shoved up his...

Keep it cool......wonderful. I am so sick of these teabaggers. They are so stupid and I believe that this is the reason for their hatred of the students. They know they lack the education and wished others would too so they can argue on their level. It is so obvious from all of their comments that they only have one brain cell and there is not much intelligence left. Idiotic TROLLS.....too stupid to recognize their low IQ.

This just in: Weed & Video game sales expected to jump in final quarter!

These losers will never see that much $ again in their lives.

I'm glad my party is organized enough to create an educated group that does it's biz at the polls instead of the parks and doesn't cost the tax payer a dime.

Romney/Ryan 2012 to bring America back to #1

california is so broke now.

Those kids all need to be horse whipped. They nare supposed to be in shcool to learn. Oh I guess they learned how to make a fast buck( or a million bucks!).

It would be nice if they can spray them again...or gas them...

@ Common Sense-2004266- Agreed....The pay out monies for all police settlements should come directly out of the policeman fund/union fund, deductions in pension payout and no raises for how ever long it takes to pay it off, across the board for that particular county/city. Not to be distributed for tax payers pay. In addition....The individual policeman should loose ALL benefits, pension, as well as his/her job, mainly because they are a liability to the department and should be looked at as a high risk employee. This sets the precedence that I (as an officer) will be more careful about how I execute my duties.

Next time there is a protest I am heading down there with a bean burrito and some sour cream. Pepper spray dat!

ROTFLMAO!!!!!

So now we're subsidizing lawlessness.

Only in that dysfunctional place called California. These useful idiots were told to leave, they refused, they were pepper-sprayed, no serious injuries and they get a million of your tax dollars.

Way to prove your stupidity California. Good luck with your $33 billion in on-and off-the-books debt. California voters have approved nearly $130 billion in active general obligation bonds, of which $73 billion are still outstanding and $33 billion remain unissued, according to the State Treasurer’s Office. Even if no more are sold, it will cost the state nearly $135 billion to repay them over the next 30 years.

Take your bleeding heart Liberal nonsense, your useful idiot students and just leave.

You are aware of course, that your wish also includes millions of good people who reside in that state who will be swept away as well...?

So you may bleat away at the police and the military for doing their jobs, yet at the same time, you display the same sort of megalomaniacal delusion as Adolph Hitler.

Could it be that like him, he was potty trained by an anal retentive mother and made to feel inferior by an authoritarian figure as a father? The conditions of your early childhood, fueled by the Goebbels-like propaganda (which preys upon your feelings of rejection by the group(s) which are to usurped by you and your "US" on the path to the pinnacle of civilization) have resulted in a monstrous mentality.

Indeed the symptoms are there, the rebelliousness, the wish to "cleanse" society... The "washing away", symbolic of your own subconscious desire to wash the filth from your own life. Could it be that like Hitler, the anal retentiveness you were brought up with, lead to an obsession on your part with perverted desires like Adolph had, to drink urine and eat feces, to have his partner urinate and defecate in his mouth, hence the "need" for "cleansing" activities?

The lust to destroy that demographic which you place all blame upon for the ills of the society you are a member of, that condition which has hatched the innate feelings of inferiority you are trying to scrub away.

I suggest you seek professional help. The insights provided in the preceding cyber-lobotmy have been provided as a free service to the reader. In any case, You're very sick.

Are all of the "innocent..." people who would be washed into the ocean as a result of your sick wish .... just to be considered collateral damage...?

This is your"tolerance...?" YOU ARE THE DEFINITION OF A PSEUDO-LIBERAL

I just think it funny how nonchalantly he's spraying them, like it's just a Tuesday or something.

I just think it funny how nonchalantly he's spraying them

I know it is like Will Ferrell from Step Brothers: Let the spray just shower over you

youhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6hOMKQTC7w&feature=relmfu

Romney the guy who comes from the party where one of it members attempts to define legitamite rape? It'll be a good day to ski in hell before Romney should ever be elected. I am not exactly enamoured of either party. I just consider Barack Obama the lesser of two Morons to elect.

Back on Track: Don't know the whole story but what I can take from this are the following:

1: Peaceful protest attempted to be dispersed by peppergas which last I checked IS illegal to employ in a non-life threatening situation.

2: It was about tuition hikes and education costs which have been rising so much faster than income its not even funny. Its sad that education costs more than a house now.There is no earthly reason education should cost 100k a year +. When I went to college in 2003, my education I thought was expensive then at 23k for 2 years.

I hardly think exercising the right to peacefully assemble is anarchy. Your statement, on the other hand, savors strongly of it.

I was not aware that "anarchy" is defined as sitting quietly.

Now that I think about it, I see people sitting all the time. Oh the humanity. Look at what we have turned into... people... that SIT. Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!

The UC-Davis police officers who doused the protesters won’t face criminal charges. The Yolo County District Attorney’s office said in a statement last week that there was insufficient evidence to prove the use of force was illegal.

So sick of these DA's and Officers running wild with no one keep them in check while they are all buddies and know one another personally. Of course the DA will not press charges.. how often when an officer does something real messed up does the DA press charges? like never.. unless the FBI is the one doing the investigation. We need judicial oversight and Police to Police the Police.. Or simply people with morality that are truly honorable in these positions.

For sure! If that is all it takes to get a nice payout like that I'll be pepper sprayed once a week. It can be my job!

A lot of sheep here.

Yashmak and Probusiness - I heard Syria has an attitude towards protest a bit more like yours. I hope you never find a cause so big to fight for that you find yourself in a peaceful protest.

Oh yeah, and the fact that many of those sprayed were keeping that university's cushy bottom line with their astronomical tuitions, I would say they have every right to protest on that private campus - it exists partly because of them.

Nothing is more shameful than your preference for use of force over peaceful protest. I've been to the UC Davis campus before, and it you think sitting on one thoroughfare shutdown the university and prohibited others from traversing the campus, then you have no idea what you are talking about.

This was power in the hands of the power hungry and ignorant at its worst.

Let's see, an "occupy" style protest, bit of pushback by police (yes, tear gas...scary), and they line up to get money. Isn't this the greed they were protesting ? I suspect the thinking is that will teach them (it won't), and I am sure the lawyers will be investing in wall street with their take.

Just teasing, mostly...back in the real protest days they won't such lightweight....protesters would have sued anyone sueing the "man" ! But these kids have high cell phone, internet access, and summer travel bills so they likely need the money.

University property is PUBLIC property, folks. It's my understanding they had a permit, but because UCSD administrators didn't want the negative pub, they called in the police and forgot about the legality of the whole thing. This settlement could have been much higher and still been called fair.

UC Davis is University of California, at Davis. It is a public university that any citizen can freely walk onto the campus as they wish.
See the Youtube video of this outrageous abuse of these students. The UC Davis President (some foreign lady) should be canned.
See also on Youtube the video of campus cops chopping their nightsticks into the guts of guy and girl students on the campus (again, public and open) of UC Berkeley. Again, outrageous and uncalled for.
To those who are under the MISTAKEN assumption that the protest was illegal - you are the reason America will no longer be free. The US is not Syria or Iran - yet - but the American Taliban will work on that, and dumb down the education of Americans until they believe anything spoon fed them by Con radio jocks.

Ahhh, Hopeful American is one of those parents who raised their kids to believe exactly what they believe (which probably comes from Faux or Rush or one of the other ranting lunatics), rather than to develop their own values and stand up for what they believe in.

This, folks, is why America is going down the tubes.

The biggest crime here is that the students will get $30,000 each, but the attorneys will get $250,000 each. If the law was that the attorneys couldn't receive more compensation than the litigants, most of these lawsuits would disappear. I have received letters about class action suits where I would receive about $5.00 but the attorneys would collect about $5,000,000, it should be illegal..... but it won't because (a) attorneys make the laws and (b) the law has little to do with right an wrong!!!

4

Who are all these people here who thinks this is "private property"

>Just further proof why this country is collapsing before our very eyes. People on private property asked to move and they don't.

The University of California is Public Property dude! Like it or not all citizens have the right to be there.

Also, a few students sitting on the quad is not something "Campus Cops" should be scared of. That is just a normal day on the quad, if these cops are that scared of students maybe the should find another job.

Is the University of California-Davis really private property? It is a public university, not a private one. And what happened to the constitutional guaranteed right to peaceably assemble in protest? These students were not rioting. They were peacefully sitting with arms linked when they were pepper sprayed. The campus police were wrong.

Some of the comments above are downright scary! Fascism is here, and some of the lazy thinkers/low thought citizens are embracing it. Somehow if this group of students were pepper sprayed while gathered to sing hymns and preach, I doubt the feelings would be the same.

Hopeful American,

A peaceful protest shouldn't warrant a police physical reaction unless the police are physically being threatened and then it is no longer a peaceful protest.

"Poor communication" within the police department is a poor excuse. What exactly was their hurry to force the student to disperse? These students wern't rioting. They were sitting down. They were not armed and were not confrontational.

The police were wrong to spray even if the students were blocking a campus throughfare. All to often the police overreact to show their superiority. So your "filthy slugs" comment is just plain ignorant. The next time you or someone you know come up on the shortend of a police asswhooping for doing something they don't approve, I'm sure you'll be singing a different tune.

The police were wrong, had a chance to defend their actions and lost in a court of law. The school settled because they knew they were wrong. You just don't give up a million dollars because you're right.

"Let's see, an "occupy" style protest, bit of pushback by police (yes, tear gas...scary), and they line up to get money. Isn't this the greed they were protesting ?"

Perhaps you should try reading the story. Hint : you don't have a clue what they were protesting.

I simply can't believe how many righties here only believe the freedom of speeh thing only applies to their way of thinking. Rommey is a perfect example of their self righteous belief that their way is the only way but wave the flag and shout constitutional values every day. Those people have a different ajenda from us Americans and they really need to look at those three fingers pointing back at themselves when they spout this crap.

BTW, if not for Berkley we would still be in Viet Nam!!!!

FlaNative55 - You do something stupid and you have to pay for it.

Tell that to the people that bought into the housing bubble without a second thought. Tell that to the people that sit on their behinds and do nothing and expect the govt money to come flowing in. Tell that to the legions of brainless idiots that drive while staring at a cell phone. Tell that to the Federal Government. Yeah, this was a bunch of BS, but so are a lot of other things in this country that I'm sure you fully support.

"The biggest crime here is that the students will get $30,000 each, but the attorneys will get $250,000 each."

My God learn to read. Its 250,000 "to split" There fell better now?

Reading these post it has become obvious that the ones against the ruling haven't even read the story or read it so fast they couldn't comprehend what it said.

they the student got lucky that the cops did not shoot them. those guys in blue have been trigger happy lately.

remember just recently one of the boys in blue killed a 1 armed, 1 legged man in a wheel chair who was waving a PEN around.

just one on the many time that the have done this lately.

Your Blondeness With all respect, it says the lawyers for the 21 claimants, will split the $250,000.

really Texas? This was just another day in the quad? Get over yourselves you entitled people. Work hard and don't ask for hand outs you bums. The law warned you to move and you didn't so why the hell should they receive anything? They were not obeying the damn LAW!!!!!!! All they had to do was stop blocking the damn sidewalk. stupid idiots that shouldn't have been able to get into UC Davis unless they lowered their standards.

If you want peaceful protest in this country this was the right response to encourage it. The students were given compensation for their "pain and suffering" and their message was heard. If you want violence, keep using it against people then fail to compensate them when they are hurt. Demonize protesters so that they feel, and others feel, like they are in the wrong. Eventually, even the most peaceful of people will become violent to get their voice heard especially in retaliation. Then it would be a more even playing field. Personally, I think the masses in this country should stop being so peaceful when revolting but unfortunately we are too well fed for that.

How quickly do you think all these right-wingers would change their minds on the excessive use of force so blatantly displayed by the a-hole cop if he had, instead, pepper sprayed a bunch of Teatards who didn't disperse as quickly as decided by ONE person, the chancellor of the University.

And where does it say that one needs a permit to peaceably assemble? That is outright BS. How do I know? Because I held protests in the City of West Palm Beach. They said the same thing: File this paperwork, pay these fees, etc. I said no. The ACLU backed me and the City of West Palm Beach backed down. We held our peaceably assembled protest on public property with no problems whatsoever.

All the Chancellor had to do was ignore these students and this protest would have ended without a million dollar payout.

I have no sympathy anymore for most cops who end up dead. I know several personally and, yes, they ALL have an us vs. them mentality and feel they are better than everyone else. Truth is they are nothing more than a "legal" gang. Some deal drugs, some drink and drive, some commit assaults, rapes, beatings, murders, and break every imaginable law, feeling their badge will get them out of trouble.

What is scary is the number of people who AGREE with these police actions. Yes, fascism to the core. What is so sad is that these people are too ignorant and blind to even see that what they agree with is the FURTHEST from being in support of CORE American beliefs and values as outlined by the Bill of Rights and the US Constitution.

WELCOME TO THE POLICE STATES OF AMERICA.

If the students were breaking the law by blocking a thoroughfare, and did not clear the thoroughfare when asked/ordered to, then they should have been subject to forceful removal. If they wanted to protest something, they should have done it legally.

Further, if they don't like tuition hikes, do something about it - other than to "demand" lower tuition. Is this how this generation thinks progress is initiated? By "demanding" change?

So now they and their attorneys are receiving $1,000,000. Do you think they wonder, or care, where that money is going to come from?

And the amazingly naive comment by the professor in the video about why the campus police are armed with automatic and chemical weapons. "What on earth are they thinking," he asks. Has he not heard of Texas A&M or Virginia Tech?

Students should be in school to study and learn. While they're at it, they ought to learn how to follow rules and proper ways to change things for the good of all.

your badge means nothing if your going to engage in criminal behavior. I dont see blue im color blind

@ We Need Rules

First off students are paying to go go college there. Its parents responsibility to teach them rules while they were in grade school. A University is not a Grade school. The students, they even had a permit to protest but the University forgot about it. Thats why the University got sued! and so should the officers because the officers assaulted multiple students with a potentially deadly weapon for no reason. I was not warranted or shown to be necessary at all. theres not one piece of evidence that shows that the use of force was necessary to protect the lives of the officers or others. I had to get mace to the face in training and trust me it sucks bad if you are even slightly allergic it could kill you. The officer should be charged with criminal charges

Linda Katehi should resign. She has failed in her responsibility to the students, school, community and state.

Some here have criticized my comments above (albeit stated in jest) and one even comparing my comments to the Syrian government's reaction to THEIR protestors. But there is one MAJOR difference and that is I never stated the group did not have the ability to protest. That right is guaranteed by the First Amendment. What this group did was not protest - it was anarchy.

Protesting is allowed as long as you are not blocking a business, public roadway, etc. Once this group blocked the road THEN they have broken the law and THAT is when I suggested (in jest) that releasing the police dogs would be acceptable. Of COURSE I didn't literally mean that but when the police have to be concerned with how to handle someone who has broken the law then we HAVE no law.

I can protest a toll road down the street all day long if I want to but once I, and a group, BLOCK the road we are no longer protestors - we are lawbreakers. Big difference.

So what the police SHOULD have done is announce the protestors are to immediately move to allow the road to be used or each will be arrested, spend one night in jail, AND pay a $500 fine. Forget pepper spray. Forget police dogs. Forget "negotiating". You have 3 minutes to move or be arrested, spend one night in jail, and pay a $500 fine. That is ALL that is needed to stop this nonsense.

Once we let these idiots dictate law and then let some unemployed "Occupy" dropouts disrupt business then society is lost. We must react quickly and harshly to those who want to disrupt our society. Protest all day long if you like and hand out pamphlets until your fingers bleed with paper cuts - I don't care and will support your right to do so but disrupt our businesses, colleges, and economy and we must react quickly and harshly.

Let's really make the attorney fees clear to blondness. $250,000 between 21 lawyers average to just under $12,000 per attorney. This $12,000, the attorney themselves may receive 1/3 as their pay, which is devied up between the attorney and assistant. The remaining 2/3 is put into the office fund which is used to pay the rest of the office workers, any temps they may of used for this case, office supplies, rent or mortgage for the office space, and of corse the taxes for all monies made and paid.

Bullcrap lawsuits like these are getting too plentiful. Lawyers get rich and it makes it harder for people to get legitimate suits settled.

Land of the free, home of the sheep...

I'm sure all 21 will donate their money to local soup kitchens.

This is one of those good thing bad thing stories. Good news they got 30k each bad news since California is going broke they all just got the cost of their education increased by 35k..............so they have a net lose of 5k.

yes if they were in fact breaking the law then they should have been arrested... not assaulted. He should face criminal charges plain and simple. No one is above the law.

ProBusiness--that's a pretty hefty leap to "anarchy." Sitting on the sidewalk is not anarchy--the closes you can link the students' behavior is in #3 below, but even then....tsk tsk. So many people wanting to find fault with students protesting tuition rates and then (incorrectly) linking them to the Occupy movement.

anarchy

noun
1. a state of society without government or law.
2. political and social disorder due to the absence of governmental control
3. anarchism ( def. 1 ) .
4. lack of obedience to an authority; insubordination: the anarchy of his rebellious teenage years.
5. confusion and disorder: Intellectual and moral anarchy followed his loss of faith. It was impossible to find the book I waslooking for in the anarchy of his bookshelves. Synonyms:chaos, disruption, turbulence; license; disorganization,disintegration.

Sorry Pro Business your just wrong. maybe in your neck of the woods. A sidewalk is a road. They were on a PUBLIC sidewalk on the UNIVERSITY. See UC means University of CALIFORNIA. Not a private college. And having a permit does not amount to ANARCHY. Anarchy would be the L.A. riots. So a public College is not supposed to be a MERE Business it is a place of higher learning. A school. The University of Phoenix that's a business.

Sitting down on a sidewalk. Does not amount to a criminal act. Worthy enough for that type of force. And to peacefully protest is a great way to be an AMERICAN. And constitutional. Just not so Capitalistic more Democratic.

"The UC-Davis police officers who doused the protesters won’t face criminal charges. The Yolo County District Attorney’s office said in a statement last week that there was insufficient evidence to prove the use of force was illegal."

------- Let's see, they have photos, video, and a signed confession, but still not not enough evidence to file charges. Perhaps the pepper spray discharged while he was cleaning it. It's all good.

Step One: Act like a jackass by imposing your presence in public places (and therefore blocking other's access to those public places).

Step Two: Ignore cops when they tell you to disperse. Also egg them on by calling them pigs, Nazis, ect...

Step Three: Create a situation where cops are forced to physically remove you from your location.

Step Four: Cry to the liberal media

Step 5: Profit $$$$$

huh... Who needs a job.

@ Johngis

"Potentially deadly weapon"? Seriously? So if I take out a bag of mixed vegetables from the freezer and beat you to death with it, are peas and carrots a "potentialy deadly weapon?" It was pepper spray, not mace. And I'm betting it was a mild version. I sprayed pepper spray in my driveway once, and accidently breathed a tiny bit of the invisible mist. I could barely see and coughed like crazy. I didn't see that much of a reaction from these folks who were hit right in the face with it.

Ok, maybe the protestors should have been arrested rather than sprayed, so if you want to discipline the officers for excessive force (along with whoever gave the order,) I would be fine with that. But does it really take $1,000,000 to right this terrible wrong? Perspective, people, perspective.

And to Catspaw, reread. The payout is to 21 plaintiffs and their attorneys. I doubt if each had (and paid) their own attorney. Like as not there were fewer than 21 attorneys.

Catspaw,

I don't think you can just break it down like that. I highly doubt that each individual student got a lawyer. Most likely a few lawyer's are handling the case for all students. Most will go to the firm and each lawyer will usually get the amount of hours they put into the case based off of their agreed upon hourly rate, plus maybe a little bonus.

0123456789: First, congratulations on the ability to put 10 numbers in order. Second, the right to assemble has NEVER been disputed neither by Yashmak nor myself. What you are having difficulty understanding is the difference between protesting and breaking the law. When a group decides to protest, say, Best Buy they are welcome to protest in a public walkway and as long as they are MOVING it is a legal protest.

It becomes illegal when you stop moving whether sitting in a chair or locking arms with other individuals. At that time you are asked to move as this group was asked. At that point this group KNEW they were breaking the law and did not disperse. One more warning is all they deserve. Clearly stated they are told they have 3 minutes to remove themselves from the roadway. Once THAT occurs police should use minimal force to remove and I wouldn't have used pepper spray. I would have secured them, handcuffed them, and taken them to jail. Do not Pass Go and do not collect $200 (or in this case $30,000).

They should have been arrested, spent one night in jail, and fined $500. This nonsense would stop REAL quick if their mommies and daddies had to pay $500 each time they decided they were so important they could break the law. This is what is wrong with this country: kids are being taught by their parents and other anarchists that you have a RIGHT to break the law. No you don't. You have the right to protest. But once you exceed that right and break the law you go to jail. Once we start jailing some of these idiots THEN this nonsense will stop. Until then you will see more and more people protesting a wide assortment of nonsense just HOPING to be sprayed with pepper spray.

Sorry, start jailing these people. First offense 1 night in jail and $500 fine. Second offense 3 nights in jail and $1000 fine. Third offense 5 nights in jail and $2000 fine. And so on. I guarantee you this nonsense will stop.

Probusiness

What this group did was not protest - it was anarchy.

Again, sitting is considered "anarchy"? Maybe you would be better off in a middle eastern country, your beliefs follow their line of thinking perfectly.

Once this group blocked the road THEN they have broken the law

It was not a "road", it was in the quad. Have you ever been to a University? What am I thinking, based on your previous post, of course not. Ok, let me explain: Universities have these giant, grassy areas called "quads". Within the quads you will typically find concrete paths that are NOT required to walk on. In fact, most students just walk in whatever direction their class is, regardless if concrete or grass is beneath them.

You should really visit a University sometime in your life, maybe even enroll in a class or two. You would benefit.

I don't care and will support your right to do so but disrupt our businesses, colleges, and economy and we must react quickly and harshly.

I am SO glad you said this. You see, when I was enrolled in a University, we had two types of protestors on a weekly basis. One was the "anti-abortion" protestors that would block the concrete paths with giant signs of dead babies. I would amuse myself by telling them that I had paid for multiple abortions and created key-chain charms out of the dead fetus. Or I would tell them that the picture of the dead fetus looks delicious, and asked what restaurant they were promoting. They would get so mad, it was hilarious.

The second weekly group were Christians, showing up with biblical verses scribbled across giant signs. They would also block the "thoroughfare" with their annoying shouts of: "you will all burn in hell". They would not only stand there, they actively moved in front of you to make sure you read their sign.

In both of these situations, these protestors would block the "roads" or "thoroughfare", making us students walk around them.

According to you, I could have pepper-sprayed them or released attack dogs? Really? That is awesome. We should have pepper-sprayed all of those freaks. Then maybe beat the s*** out of them, as a "harsh reaction". Let's face it, those Christians and anti-abortion f***tards deserve it. Don't you agree?

Many criticize my comments but don't even know what a legal protest is!! In summary, you are allowed to protest on any legal sidewalk as long as you don't block access AND keep moving. Sitting down, from a legal standpoint, makes the protest illegal. So for all you "supporters" try to learn the law before you state someone is wrong. Once they sat down and blocked the road they were no longer protesting - they were illegally blocking access.

Once warned they are now knowingly breaking the law. That is anarchy under the definition Ransom listed (#4 lack of obedience to an authority). At that point no more discussion - handcuffs and a cold cell and that will stop this anarchy and nonsense.

The money should come out of the officers pay, and the officer/s should have been FIRED as well.

ProBusiness, you use the word "nonsense" to describe the protests. Why are these protests "nonsense" compared to, say, Tea Party gatherings, for example?

And are you forgetting that peaceful protest is one of the most important tools in working for change? Or are you against the change that these kids would like to see?

Mguy: I don't care if you want to call it a bushy-tailed squirrel. Once you stop moving (aka "sitting") you are no longer protesting and when access to ANY portion is blocked, and you have been asked to move, you have broken the law. When asked to move and you STILL don't move you have KNOWINGLY broken the law. That, by definition, is anarchy "lack of obedience to an authority"). So maybe before telling a person they are wrong you should look up the law first.

Ransom: BECAUSE THEY WERE BREAKING THE LAW!! Why is that so difficult to understand. And you want to compare to the Tea Party? The Tea Party was in a designated area APPROVED for protest. The Tea Party did not block a walkway, road, or any other private or public area. The Tea Party was never INFORMED they were breaking the law (because we weren't). To try and compare the two simply confirms the inability to actually realize that these kids BROKE THE LAW!!

Once you stop moving (aka "sitting") you are no longer protesting

Probie--so a protest must always be in motion? Where do you come up with this "nonsense?"

Edit--and you still haven't answered why you think these students' protest is "nonsense." I'm guessing it is because you don't agree with it. I'm guessing you're a Tea Partier yourself, by which I mean that you--in your own mind--are never, ever wrong, and everything in this world is out to take what is "yours."

Im tired of all the "entitled" comments. Where are you people getting this crap from? If I see anybody that appears to feel "entitled", and shouldnt, it is the rich elite "job creators" in this country. They feel they are entitled to vacations, jets, mansions, plastic surgery, cars, seasonal homes and the wide array of experiences only the best can buy (trips to space). They feel entitled to this because most of them pretend that they earned what they have. Its the old Horatio Alger myth. They want everyone to believe that if they work hard enough, and have the desire, that anyone can achieve anything. This simply is not true. There are a lot of variables that go into what people can and will do. I not going to say that there is absolute fate or free will but I do think it is a combination of both. There are certain limitations that we are all born with both physically and mentally. I do not beleive we are all created equally. Some people are given extraordinary advantages and/or disadvantages when dealing with life. I think Stephen Hawking is a great example of both. He has been given superior mental capability but little to no physical ability.

We are entitled to what life gives us. Anything more than that is assumption based on speculation.

Explain to me how you remove someone and arrest them for breaking the law by blocking a thoroughfare when they are sitting down with arms linked together, without getting physical??

Just because these people were not being violent toward the police does not mean they were not breaking the law. A squatter can sit in a home that doesn't belong to him and refuse to leave. When threatened with arrest, the same squatter can make it difficult to be removed, requiring some form of physical extraction. The squatter could then barricade himself in the property, making it extremely difficult to extract and arrest. Are you saying that this should be OK and that cops should never have the right to use "violence" (ie physical means) to forcibly remove a criminal? Since they were "peacefully" sitting there, they should never have been sprayed?

I suppose the cops could have taken out their night sticks and beat at the intertwined arms of the protesters until they let go and allowed the police to arrest them or forcibly remove them from the situation?

I suppose you libs are all convinced that it should never have been left up to the cops to decide that they should just be removed from the scene after breaking the law, that they should have been arrested, read their rights, after which time the protestors would calmly get up and get in the police car, so that a judge can determine whether they had the right to continue to block the sidewalk or not? This is what happens when you take away common sense and the right of people to have the authority to think for themselves. Take away the ability for a police officer to do something that could actually remove the protestors from the situation without having to clog up the jails by arresting them.

So what would have happened if they had just gone in and forcibly removed the people from the sidewalk? You suppose NONE of the protestors would react violently when they are pulled apart? You assume it would never have escalated to violence? It amazes me how naive people are.

The only thing worse than thinking these protestors had the right to break the law with no consequences is thinking they deserve one penny for getting sprayed.. It is like the perpetrator who runs from the cops and gets tased then sues for it.. If you don't break the law, this stuff doesn't happen.

Poor straw man by equating peaceful protesters with a squatter who is trespassing.

As to your question about forcible removal provoking violent responses--I doubt it. Please go watch "Ghandi" immediately.

Are some of you people really comparing this situation to Syria? Seriously? Oh...my...God. It is simply astounding how mis-informed and naive the general population of this country is. We really are doomed. We really are.

Oh, and Dave....if you have followed this story you would know that the cops weren't "thinking for themselves." They were ordered by the school administration to remove the kids. I'm guessing the phrase "by any means necessary" may have been used.

Another prosecutor who refuses to prosecute a cop. That is a battery, plain and simple, and it was on videotape. But prosecutors have to work with cops every day, so if the cops ask them not to prosecute, guess what decision the prosecutor makes.

It is one of the biggest problems of our justice system. Prosecutors become buddy-buddy with cops, depend on them to do their jobs, and so always take their side, refuse to see the possible negative qualities inherent to those who choose to do the job. It becomes a bigger problem when so many prosecutors becoming judges, who then have to decide whether to believe the questionable story of a cop on the witness stand. Well, guess what the judge decides to believe.

This case is a perfect symbol of why innocent people somehow end up behind bars.

Mystus said "Im tired of all the "entitled" comments. Where are you people getting this crap from?"

Um.. you don't have kids or have been around kids in the last decade, have you.. ?

When you see a kid who has an ipod, iphone, ipad, nintendo, xbox, playstation, tv's, stereos, cars, designer clothes, a nice place to live, food on the table every night, all without lifting a single finger for it, and then just assumes he/she should actually have all that just because they were born, then you have your sense of entitlement. When that same kid complains that their parents never do anything for them, you have your sense of entitlement. When that same kid goes to school on grants, scholarships, and their parent's dime then complains about how lame school is, how expensive it is, or how they aren't learning anything, you have your sense of entitlement. When that kid graduates college and won't take a job because it is starting in the mail room and not as a manager, you have your sense of entitlement. When a kid gets out of high school and doesn't go to college, and won't take a job at McDonalds because it is "beneath him", you have your sense of entitlement. When someone who makes $50k per year can't afford to pay for his $400k house and thinks it is the bank's fault (or the governments) there is your sense of entitlement. When someone on welfare can't understand why he/she shouldn't have a cell phone and a flat screen tv, there is your sense of entitlement.

All you have to do is look around at anyone from 12 to 35 these days and you will see why everyone complains about how there is a sense of entitlement out there. That is where all this "crap" comes from. You are entitled to exactly what you earn, whether that is $7 per hour or $20 million per year. If you don't like it, do something about it. If you don't make it as far as the guy next to you, or have what the 70 year old across the street has by the time you are 30, tough, that is life and you need to deal with it and quit thinking you are entitled to something. Nobody owes you anything. Nobody is going to do something for you that you didn't earn. Even if you work hard, most of the time you will not get what you want, regardless of how much you think you deserve it.

No, not everyone is born with equal opportunities, but in the eyes of the government, you have the same exact opportunities that everyone else has. Believe it or not, the laws apply to all equally. Some laws favor the poor, some favor criminals, some favor the middle class, and some favor the rich, but we all live under the same laws, and we all have the same right to be rich or broke. The government will never hold you back as long as you follow the laws. That is what you are entitled to, and most people in this world do NOT get that kind of opportunity.

It is insane to want to pepper-spray any students or faculty, simply by some needed demonstrations that would try to bring attention to the sty-high fees or tuitions, that are bankrupting our students of all ages! The police are out of control, and, so are the Deans, school administrators, that do these horrible things against the students that need an education to compete in the would and here in America, for good paying jobs, to learn how to be innovative and create jobs for themsleves and others.

Once Again The Police Violate Our Constitutional Rights To Assembly And We The Tax Payers Have To Pay For Their Crimes.....How About The nearly $1 million Dollars Comes Out of The Police Who Where Involved Salaries?

At What Point Do Even The Most Obnoxiously Anti Occupation Corporate Posters Understand....What The Police Are Doing Is WRONG And Only Cost US All In The End!

America.....Just Say NO The The New Fascist Police GRAY STATE!

“The object of terrorism is terrorism. The object of oppression is oppression. The object of torture is torture. The object of murder is murder. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?” ~ George Orwell, 1984

@ransom - so arresting them would have been a better solution? And again, how were they supposed to do that? The protestors were sitting down, linked together, and refusing to leave. Have you ever tried to take something from a kid throwing a tantrum? In the end you have to either forcibly remove it from them by bending their fingers back and potentially breaking a bone, or you spank them (something that stings for a little while but ultimately has no long term effects) which discourages them from resisting and will probably make them drop whatever they are holding to protect their butts. This is what the cops did.. they sprayed them with something that stings and makes your mucus glands go nuts, and the reaction is they released the people next to them to cover up and rub their eyes and noses. If they continued to resist after that, they deserved to be miserable.

And yes, I equate protestors who chain themselves to trees or link their bodies to prevent people from using public thoroughfares to squatters living on someone else's property. They are both breaking the law and inconveniencing or outright preventing other people from being able to do something they have every right to be doing. If you had been late for work because protestors had blocked your way, and fired for being late, would you be OK with the protestors doing that? What about if you were made late for class because you couldn't get past the protestors, and missed a test and took a failing grade for it? Would you still be OK with the protestors breaking the law and inconveniencing you?

This is not OK, not one little bit. The law is clear on how you can "peaceably" protest. When you break the law, you suffer the consequences.

These cops were told to do something.. so they did. I don't like cops in particular, but I can understand how difficult their job can be. If I were in their shoes given the order to remove these people, I would choose to spray them before tasing or beating them away with a nightstick.

And BTW, these protestors were HARDLY Ghandi..

mguy #2.55- maybe you should have peppersprayed those freaks a time or two. I bet they would have respected your space and moved out of the way of people wishing to traverse the quad unmolested by their rhetoric. It's a little radical, but so were their actions so there is a balance that needs to be attained.

To all of you whining about "blocking the thoroughfare--this was a university Quad. A big huge open space. If someone is blocking the sidewalk, guess what--there are hundreds of feet of open space on either side to use to get to where you're going. But it's more important to whine about your own perceived inconvenience that to admit that these kids were exercising their 1st amendment rights.

And Dave....you seem angry. Take a breath. Read up on civil disobedience. Read up on how our country was founded, or the Civil Rights movement, or any other social movement where people had to take a stand to facilitate change. Just because you don't agree with these kids doesn't make them any worse than people who protest for things that you *do* agree with.

DaveK-1110204 Right...Americans Exercising Their Constitutional Right To Assembly Forcibly Threatened Then Illegally Sprayed With A Toxic & Carcinogenic Chemical (Say What You Will UCD Paid To Get Out Of This Situation Without Criminal Charges) And Then Forcibly Dragged Away Against Their Will Is Likened To Nothing But A....kid throwing a tantrum?

Hmm Maybe That's Why California Paid $30,000 A Person....Because They Were Just Little Kids throwing a tantrum!

Seriuosly Folks Where Do They Find These Self Rationalizing Corporate Fascists From?

WWW.FascistsRUS.COM?

Admit It Davy You Don't Know If These Occupiers were HARDLY Ghandi Or Not.....You're Just Talking Smack And Blowing Smoke For Your Wall Street Robber Baron Oligarchs!

But You Are Right About One Thing......Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Congress shall make no law Is Just Something You Fascist Don't Seem To Understand....Is it?

And Don't Bring Up The SCOTUS Either For They Granted Themselves The "Right" To Interpret The Constitution.....It Is Not In The Constitution And Plainly Stated In The 10th Amendment That The Constitution Is Not Subject To Interpretation!

Always Remember Lawyers Granted Themselves That Power.........

Psst Anyone Taking Bets Lt. Pike Is Already Working For Another Police Department?

@Robert B Haigh..............Exactly! Cops are a gang, a legal gang that feel that they can do whatever they please! I have no respect for them either! Expecially these days there seems to be some real crazies on the force! And what is wrong with students standing up for something they believe in? It sure beats what we are doing about these gas prices and housing costs etc....The cop that did this needs to be fired! John Pike that is!!!

@ransom

What if they were blocking all but 500 feet of space around them? Ok, right? How about 100 feet? Still Ok? How about 20 feet? 10 feet? 1 foot? Where exactly would you draw the line? That is precisely why we need rules - to eliminate subjective judgement. Follow the rules! Walk your bike!

@michael72

What exactly should "we" be doing about these gas prices and housing costs? Blocking some thoroughfare until someone lowers the prices of gas and housing? Really?

Fascist Are Bad.....What Good Are Rules When The "Police / Government" Gets To Break The Rules At Any & Every Opportunity?

You Want Mere Rules? Then By All Means Please Move To Germany!

The Constitution Of The United States Is The FIRST & ONLY Rule Book And Yet Once Again We The People Pay For The Fact The The Police / Government Takes It Upon Itself To Do Whatever They Want Whenever They Want!

So What Good Are Your Rules If Only One Side Has To Obey Them?

Sadly Most Of The People Who Actually Broke The Rules Are Still Wearing A Badge And Carrying A Gun Today....

“The Ministry of Peace concerns itself with war, the Ministry of Truth with lies, the Ministry of Love with torture and the Ministry of Plenty with starvation. These contradictions are not accidental , nor do they result from from ordinary hypocrisy: they are deliberate exercises in doublethink” ~ George Orwell, 1984

We have the constitutional right to protest in this country. If you Fascist A$$holes don't like it feel free to move to China or Iraq.

Funny how you righties are all about the constitution, except when it pertains to the civil rights of the left.

:)

"University property is PUBLIC property, folks."- RansomStoddard1

Incorrect. The property was purchased from the state by the Regents of the University of California in April 2010, and leased back to the state. This makes it, per the letter of the law, private property. You may make arguments about the spirit of the law, but per the technical letter of the law, this protest did indeed take place on private property.

Even if it had taken place on public property, ProBusiness' comments regarding their blockage of a thoroughfare are still correct. The gathering of protesters was not illegal, but when they blocked a sidewalk, street, or thoroughfare, it became illegal. You can take potshots at ProBusiness, but he didn't make that the law, and neither did I. But it IS the law, and like it or not, these protesters were breaking it. Now they're getting a payoff for suffering the consequences, and that is indeed shameful.

Yashmak...

So if a law was passed that said you had to concentration camp, would you? Its the LAW after all...

@ Ransom Stoddard1

Ahhh, Hopeful American is one of those parents who raised their kids to believe exactly what they believe (which probably comes from Faux or Rush or one of the other ranting lunatics), rather than to develop their own values and stand up for what they believe in.

This, folks, is why America is going down the tubes.

Better they believe what I believe than what the left-wing progressive commie Professor's believe! Besides, my money. So if the now my legally adult son or daughter wants to do something that I don't want them doing on my dime - then I have every right to say, fine - stand up for what you believe in, and by the way, I don't believe in supporting your anarchist behavior, so now you can stand up and pay your own way. I know getting a job will go against everything you believe in, but oh well, suck it up!

And the reason America is going down the tubes is because of people like them. Sitting around thinking someone owes them or should pay their way. The useless of America!

Here is hoping all the naysayers here get some up close and personal police abuse next time they encounter them !

I have no problem with the protesters getting $30,000... they were not being violent.

I DO have a problem with the lawyers getting $250,000. That is frivolous, and wrong.

Lawyers should NOT under any circumstances get paid more than the clients they are representing. For the lawyers this became less about helping their clients, and more about collecting a whopping $125k ea. Bear in mind, this is ONE case. Somebody should make a law saying lawyers who do class action lawsuits cannot get paid more than their clients. It just leads to dumb lawsuits that hurt one party involved while the only people who really benefit are the lawyers.

Shame.

@hopeful, you've made my case for me. You're right, everyone else is wrong, live my way or be insulted. I thought this was the United States of America. Now it's the United $tate$ of Amerikkka.

And if you hadn't noticed, college kids are adults. They're old enough to vote, to serve their country, and to live on their own. Hopefully yours got the heck out as soon as they could and learned to think for themselves rather than take daddy's pre-processed "I hate everyone who isn't like me" venom.

@rulesaregood--have you ever been in a city where they close off a few blocks because they're shooting a film? Should those people (who have permits, just like the protesters) be arrested and pepper sprayed because they're causing you a little bit of an inconvenience? How about when your local Tea Party has a parade or gathering in your civic square or community park and you have to take a little detour? Should they be vilified?

I'm guessing your opposition to all of this is because the media has (incorrectly) linked this protest to the Occupy movement, and therefore it's "bad."

Ransom: To protest you cannot block access to public areas and, if on private property, must have the approval of the owner of the property - which they didn't. So they have broken the law. Secondly, in order to be a protest you must be "in motion". This is why people with signs must keep walking and is in the law. You cannot dispute only because you don't know and are not willing to go research. If they allowed protestors to "sit" then you get like what was in "Occupy" which was against the law except the cities and police elected not to enforce. Regardless it is AGAINST the law. Go research it if you don't know about it.

Stalin doesn't understand FREEDOM OF SPEECH. Go figure.

Yeah, but then again, Devil, there's a large population in the US that thinks torture is good too, just as long as it's to the "right" people. WTF! And these are usually the same people decrying the erosion of "morality" and "the American way of life".

Are our Rights for sale? only 1M?

This is the Price offered for a Military Government?

You want to contribute the first million?

I think they should have use teargas instead.

Police dogs work REALLY well.

Caroline- Live in Cali? Give them a million, huh? Exactly where do you think those millions would come from? The police special account for paying people off? No, that comes out of municipal funds and cmoes back around in taxes and costs to the taxpayers.

I love this "just give them money" logic- that's the same logic the UC students are chanting to get money back because they can't get a job and it costs "too much"...... Brilliant. With that logic all UC students should protest to get reimbursed for their education.

People in the US have the right to protest peacefully without being physically assulted by their government. Maybe you should move to a country that is more in line with your views.

With that logic all UC students should protest to get reimbursed for their education.

It wouldn't be the first time it happened...remember this news story about a law student that decided to sue her school because she couldn't get a job?

http://www.article-3.com/no-job-for-law-school-grad-so-she-sues-her-law-school-92089

They broke the law.

yeah, half the programs are B.S. ha ha get it.

The worst part of this is that the students were protesting increased tuition fees. Where do they think the funds for this payout are coming from? Higher tuition for all! I think this is a ridiculous amount for being pepper sprayed. It is a non-toxic, temporary irritant. I'm sure these college students put worse in their body every Friday night!

Dos, you got it. Protesting wealth inequality and increased tuition fees? Let's see how their new found wealth is distributed. Easy to protest something until you've acquired what you demand of others. I'll be waiting for evidence of their generous acts of random kindness once the money is in hand. Seriously, I'm being hopeful here!

Actually most of your B.A programs are BS. Get a good B.S. degree and your set.

How about a little fire Scarecrow...or a little salt with your pepper spray....Dam Liberals

Herm-3000509...

yea...screw civil rights and the constitution. :/

What about our soldiers coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan, do they get $30,000?In the video it looks like they barely react to the spray. So stupid

The Punishment: spraying cops ought to be water-boarded, not with water, but with pepper spray. If they survive their pepper-boarding, that'll larn 'em good.

Next time, use the water hose on these punks.

How was he enforcing the law?

Felons ? Obviously you skipped college, Jane

Jane also slept all the way through high school.

Wrong fool, the law does not give anyone the right to pepperspray an individual . A judge wold decide the punishment not this jerk. He was a campus PO to begin with so he was probably trying to impress his boss. At least these people were out there trying to be heard. I wonder what this group was doing at the time.

Yes he could have handled it differently, but it still stands, those protesters were breaking the law by blocking the walkway.

They were not blocking the walkway, they were PEACEFULLY ASSEMBLING, which is a constitutional right. Even if there was an order to disperse (I heard there actually never was one), they have a right to disobey, albeit peacefully. You may not agree with the protestors, but that is their right. God forbid the day ever comes when you try to stand up for your rights, and you're sprayed in the face--or worse.

People who think like you are what is bringing this country closer and closer to North Korea status.

Actually Freedom hound, are you sure they didn't have a permit?

The first article I saw many months ago, stated that they were ordered to disperse because they did not have a permit to protest. I am operating under the impression that they were without a permit.

Did our founding fathers have a permit? Even if they didn't have a permit, does that warrant them getting PEPPER SPRAYED just for sitting there? Hardly.

Sorry, but in America, necessity of "enforcing the law" doesn't mean you get a free pass to do anything you want to perpetrators. If they broke the law (which seems to be disputed here), fine, haul them off to jail and charge them. You don't get to point blank pepper spray directly into people's faces if they aren't resisting with force, or posing an imminent danger to persons or property.

If they don't have a permit, then either arrest them or write them tickets. Pepper spray is only intended to be used to subdue a violent offender who is physically putting officers in danger. It is not a tool to force compliance from a bunch of misguided idiots protesting that they have to actually pay to get an education.

I have no sympathy with the protest itsef, but the officer was way out of line and deserved to be fired. That should have been it, though; paying out this settlement is ridiculous. The university already took the appropriate action.

They were on University Property where they have paid tuition to be and they were not breaking any laws. Just calling attention to the corruption and cheating by the by Big Universities. Grievances and whistle blowing done peacefully is not against the law. Why do think the U paid out? They were wrong and they want to sut them up.

PrecededByNone - Had our founding fathers not been succesful in the rebellion, they would have been labeled as domestic terrorists. So, put that in your pipe and smoke it.

They don't need a permit to protest peacefully on any UC or Cal State campus. The cops were out of line, the President at UC Davis should be fired. If it was my kid, we don't need the money - I'd have hired a lawyer to hound them until they did fire her. The president at UC Berkeley should be fired as well.

You need a permit to protest? I think the constitution is permit enough.

The permit issue is kind of right. The protesters were supposed to have a permit to have tents and spend the night on the quad, and that is what the cops orders were, to remove tents. The students were not assembling illegally. Even if they were, in America you get arrested for breaking the law. It is crazy how many people here want cops to doll out violence to our kids????

"Grumpy61

It's ok for me to break the law, it not ok for the cops to enforce the law. Yes he could have handled it differently, but it still stands, those protesters were breaking the law by blocking the walkway."

Please tell us all what law they broke? Please post the actual law not what you think the law is.

Amazing how many people support police actions of this sort. Have any of you checked the rise in tution recently. It is as out of control as health care. And why? Just because their is an agenda of the right to grab every dollar possible from every hopeful American. It is going to come home to roost as it is becoming painfully obvious what the right wing agenda is.

Freedom Hound,

I believe you've chosen the first word of your moniker without actually knowing the meaning of the word.

Remember those terrorists that decided to go to war against England so they could be FREE they were breaking the law too

Protesters are criminals, felons, hippys, scum, this is what's wrong with this country??? Funny.

Just what England said about those Boston tea party members many, many moons ago.. So who are the true Americans here, the protesters or the one's wanting them to be hurt?

From the Boston Tea Party Historical Society web site.

The occupations of all the participants are not known, but the
majority were probably apprentices and common laborers, Alongside participants
of English descent were men of Irish, Scottish, French, African and Portuguese
origins. The Tea Party was also the work of young people.

Two-thirds of those whose ages were known were under 20,
including 16 teenagers. Only nine are known to have been 40 years old or older.

Yep, stupid punk kids are ruining this country and what it stands for.. They should indeed be hurt and arrested for blocking a sidewalk.. LMAO

I can here it know. Police came up on an Man who was sitting on the sidewalk. They asked him to move and he did not respond. So they told him again. And he looked at them with a sour look on his face. So the officer felt threatened and pulled out his gun. The man then jumped up. So the officer fearing for his life shot the man.

Only later to find out the man was deaf. And did not feel to well. He was in diabetic shock. It was to his surprise that an officer would pull a gun on him. And it startled him so he jumped BACK. The officer wont face any charges and is on paid administrative leave.

For those of you comparing what our forefathers did to start our nation and what the students did to protest higher tuition, etc, maybe you need to read your History books again. Come back and comment when you are able to understand the difference between securing freedom for a nation of people versus lowering the cost to receive an education.

Short and sweet Paul, the tea party was a protest/raid caused by England's implementation of a tax to try and save a company from going under. Securing freedom for a nation was not the purpose.

hater- I was commenting on posts 5.10, 5.14 and 5.21. Those individuals seem to have gotten the fight for our nation confused with a protest about school tuition. And one of them was so foolish as to mention our founding fathers being pepper sprayed (#5.10), which was reaching so far I'm sure he almost fell off his soapbox.

The Boston Tea Party, although considered a peaceful protest, did contain violence in the form of the destruction of private property when the tea was thrown in the harbor.

Gotchya.. :)

Hope your daily dose of outwitting someone, helps you maintain a sense on intellectual superiority over the right.

Maybe you could help me educate someone a little further on down the page. He's wishing for a whole state to drop into the ocean and everyone die. Can you imagine being filled with so much hate...? I'm sure it wont matter to you that he's a liberal (in reality, a pseudo-liberal) , since you are against stereotyping, intolerance, bigotry, hatred , genocide etcetc. I know all of that is abhorrent to you.

Why waste you time on little details , like this argument when you can go after a person wishing millions dead...?

The Boston tea party was a reaction to the Townsend Act in Britain. The British West Indies Tea Company had a royal monopoly and England had been charging the company an excise tax to bring the tea into England from India (after which they shipped it to places like the colonies). This caused the wholesale price of tea to go up in the colonies. A Dutch tea company was shipping cheaper tea to the colonies, so the British company lobbied for and received an elimination of the excise tax. That tax was made up by taxing the colonists for the tea. So England taxed the middle class and poor in the colonies to give a corporation a tax break.

The subsequent dumping of tea in the harbor destroyed corporate inventory, and the Boston tea Party has a lot in common with the Occupy movement.

This country sure does hand out lots of other people's money. Oh, you spilled hot coffee, you get millions. Sniffing popcorn fumes, oh here's some millions for you. Someone else made a cellphone that is rectangle with rounded corners, here's your billion. And now this. It's a good thing these students had no respect for authority. I bet you people will think twice about listening to the police now.

ok its real simple for those of you who disagree with me so much. We are there to protect and serve! that was our vow to the state! yea remember that one? do not use force unless its necessary .. fuk your blue wall bull@!$%# i represent the people and always will. I take my oath seriously and no blue wall can tell me otherwise. Power to the people USA forever!

Johngis: As a member of LE I am appalled by these "officers." Equal force, ONLY. No need for pepper spray. According to witnesses and court documents the protesters were peaceful. You can't use pepper spray that way or tasers, or clubs, or guns.

BAD COP, NO DOUGHNUT!!! Cops should be held to a higher standard. Follow the same laws we are supposed to enforce.

Arrest that cop. Period. Glad he lost his job. More should. Enough already. Follow the rules or lose the badge. Bad cops make all cops look bad. They are a menace to good cops and the public.

Bob fu

Freedom Hound,

I believe you've chosen the first word of your moniker without actually knowing the meaning of the word.

Bob,

My take on freedom is that if every individual took responsibility for their actions and understands that there are consequences for their actions, then people will be allowed to have true freedom. People living under the inpression that they can do whatever they want with no consequences, and that everything is societies fault, need to have their lives tailored and guided for them, basically becoming slaves to government for refusing to take responsibilities for their own lives.

Yes, they have the right to protest, there are protocols that must be observed (this was not a spontaneous event, it was planned). But they also have to realize there are consequences for their actions. You don't like the laws, get them changed. If you choose to disregard or break those laws, accept the consequences. You don't like the price of college, don't go or find a cheaper college.

And for all of you decrying this event like it's the end of the world, as someone who has experienced tear gas, pepper spray, and the end of a metal baton, I choose pepper spray! Least harmful enforcement tool there is. It's a food product.

Go insult a cop and see what happens. Either pepper spray or a taser.

Choose the taser, they kind of tickle at first.

What are these cops to do when there is a real riot? I have nightmares just thinking about it.

In Florida, they would have shot them......stand your ground.

Obviously you folks are too young to remember what happened at Ohio State in the early 70's. There was a peaceful demonstration against the Vietnam war and the governor ordered the state guard to open fire on the students. Four innocent students were shot dead.

Jvalen13 - Yep, that was an awful tragedy. The governor should have been placed on trial for 4 counts of murder in that case. I still can't believe the order to fire on unarmed, peacefully protesting students was given....

That would be Kent State University, Jvalen, not Ohio State.

Being raised in Ohio, I remember Kent State, and that is probably partly why I'm so po'd at UC.

You are correct LevTolstoy, my memory ain't what it used to be, but they are both in Ohio.

Thoes who bost so much about our freedom, are often the same ones that approve violence and arrest of peacful demonstrators. People who have never stood up for asnything have no idea how ubfree they really are.Aso, the media is totall closed to serious dissent.

Jvalen, the Kent State protest was anything but peaceful. The students were throwing rocks and bottles at the police and there were several skirmishes that broke out. It's unfortunate that some students died but the police did what they could to control the situation.

The students today should be very glad that there have been dozens of non-lethal (pepper spray, teargas, rubber bullets, beanbag rounds, etc) that have been developed over the years or the UC situation could have been a lot worse had it occured before these items were developed.

Uh, fired for doing his job? Doubt it.

Does anyone here know how to read:

"Pike was fired on July 31 by the campus police chief who took over the university’s police department after the chief who was in charge last fall, Annette Spicuzza, stepped down under fire."

Yeah, Texas, I was beginning to wonder?? I guess the reading comprehension level is low here. The DA (not his boss) did not file charges against him, but the University fired him. Two different things.

Part of the reason he was fired...... they were NOT violating the student code of conduct under the "civil disobedience clause." Helps to know more about what happened..... OOOOPS. Also public safety officers don't have the authority to do what he did. There is more to the story. Glad they fired the bully.

Seriously... If the comments here represent the feelings of the general populace about peaceful demonstrations, the government might as well just try its luck and declare martial law now. These people might be all for it. More likely it's simply hypocrisy. They'd demonize the cops if they agreed with the demonstration, but if they don't agree, the demonstrators are clearly criminals who deserve any abuse they receive.

No al, the cops are clearly criminals.

Wrong! Campus property is "private" property. The campus has every right to require permits and require the protest to be in a certain area and only for a certain amount of time. Assembling, demonstrating, and obstructing passage on private property is not protected by the Constitution.

I don't agree with the demonstration and I have no idea if it was legal or not. But that's totally irrelevant and what IS relevant:

The point is the unnecessary use of pepper spray on students who were sitting peacefully protesting. Good for them for getting some moola out of it.

The rent-a-cop who did this got fired, but his attitude and the idea that this was okay most likely came from higher up which is why the University is paying out.

fnight, wrong-if they receive ANY tax-money, it is not "private property".
Not only that, they students are paying for the right to be there.

If the comments here represent the feelings of the general populace about peaceful demonstrations, the government might as well just try its luck and declare martial law now.

Based on what seems to be going on behind closed doors, some are speculating that is to come in the near future...here's a rather interesting read that forces one to raise a "WTH" eyebrow:

http://www.infowars.com/social-security-administration-to-purchase-174-thousand-rounds-of-hollow-point-bullets/

fnight - it was at UC Davis - University of of California at Davis - that's a PUBLIC school. It is NOT private property. In addition, even if it WAS private property, the owner of said property has no right to inflict physical harm on someone who trespasses but who poses no physical threat. The recourse in that situation would be to call LOCAL police to handle the situation.

Private or public, the University screwed up. Unless of course you think it's okay to break the law just because you disagree with someone.....?

Shawn,

Prepare for the all of the whackjob, paranoid, nutjob comments directed at you. Although I agree that Alex jhones has, at sometimes, hit the nail on the head, I choose to believe only some of what the MSM reports and only some of what Alex and his followers report.

Gwen,

The University has its own police force who are sworn officers of the state. Most of the time there's a much larger disconnect between the university and the police department than typical local police. Often these types of departments go rogue and are only controlled by funding from the University. The police chief can be fired by the University but the University can not fire one of the officers unless the chief does it. Its real messed up and breeds corruption like a 3rd world country

Next week in front of John Pike's house

Hell, I'll chip in and buy the spray for them if they'll use it on me.

an additional $250,000 for their attorneys to split.

The biggest joke. He was probably behind the line shouting "Spray Em. Spray em".

When's the last time you risked physical harm for something you believed in? What's that? Never???

Shut the heck up.

1969, 1991 and I didn't get $30,00 for 15 minutes and took a lot more than some pepper spray. Viet Nam and Iraq, in case your mentally challenged. Protest, but not sitting on the road disrupting people that have a life. They probably deserved the pepper spray, but not the money.

Thanks for your service, Realist, especially since it appears to be separated by 22 years, but there is no reason to call me mentally challenged, that reeks of you having a hostility against me for taking the side of these protesters.

They didn't deserve the pepper spray, just like the kids at Kent State didn't deserve to lose their lives.

What service, sounds like Realist was one of the whiny protesters that now he is condemning. Pretty typical though..

Any cop who has pepper spray has to be sprayed with it before he or she is qualified to carry it, its uncomfortable yes but not $50,000 worth of uncomfortable. I was sprayed also, big whoopee, get over it wussies.

Are you gonna cry about it square?

Big Jim, I've never felt a cat's ass so you'll have to enlighten me. Where I'm from, you obey a cop's order or suffer the consequences. They disobeyed and got sprayed. They don't deserve @!$%#.

KC - I guess where you're from they don't believe in the Constitution of the United States - funny - I bet they sure believe in the 2nd amendment - why don't they believe in the rest of them?

You can't just support the parts of the Constitution you like, you need to defend ALL OF IT - even when it's used by people you DISAGREE with. I would defend the rights of the KKK to demonstrate and protest even though I abhor everything they stand for. Why? because when it's time for ME to protest, I want my right to be in tact, and destroying or ignoring it for some, risks it for all.

Yes, you should follow the orders that officers give, unless those orders are in direct conflict with YOUR RIGHTS. If the officers assault you because your exercising your RIGHTS - they should be penalized.

None of this is about being a victim - it's about protecting and standing up for the rights in this country - even if you disagree with the people exercising them. I'd defend your right to have a gun - even though I don't have one, and I believe in limitations on it - I'd still defend your right to have one, because it IS a right.

"My eyes felt like a cat's ass after a night in the dog pound" Now thats funny and I don't care who you are!

The police officer is not the "king". The students were not in any way at fault - they were within their rights on a public property.
Those who cannot "get" this concept need to visit Syria and see a real scenario play out where the citizens do not have the right to assemble and protest, and you could perhaps visit the graves of those who tried.

KCBones wrote, "Where I'm from, you obey a cop's order or suffer the consequences."

Where are you from KCBones, North Korea? Iraq? Pakistan? In America you get arrested for breaking the law, cops are only supposed to use force when necessary. If these cops are that scared of a bunch of sitting students that should not work at a university!

KC,

"Where I'm from, you obey a cop's order or suffer the consequences."

How many more years left until parole?

Lmao Big Jim, haven't heard that one in a long long time.

any of those kids could have had a gun! get a life.

@ Jon,

At least you have your self respect.

Yes, this is like China or Middle Est and the pigs can do whatever they feel like.

Pigs, really?

Yesterday two of those "pigs" were shot while trying to arrest a child molester in Cailf!

Another "pig" where I live found and transported 3 teens who OD'd on heroin to the hospital and saved their lives.

Articles every day about "pigs" being shot, knocked out, and killed while trying to protect people like you and me from scum.

Since you seem to hate them so much, the next time one of them has to go tell a family that their father molested their cousin or neighbor, how bout we send you instead.

Life must be nice for you in your white and black world with no shades of gray!

Freedom Hound, none of what you describe absolves a police officer of acting outside of the law and violating someone's First Amendment rights (you know, that whole peaceable assembly thing).

Nice straw man.

That a hole definitely deserves to be called a pig

Not willful disobedience. Lawful assembly on a public property. Just because the University Admin decides they don't like it, boo hoo, doesn't mean they can take away the rights of the students - OR - even people who are not students, that could assemble there. It is PUBLIC.

What the hell are you talking about? We ran from oppression in Europe to America. Then when oppression followed us we rose up and threw it off. Then, when anyone who wasn't a white male got oppressed, we rose up again until those people got their rights. When corporations treated us like @!$%#, forcing us and our children to work in disgustingly unsafe conditions for slave wages we rose up against them too.

Civil disobedience is what made America great! Telling people to sit down, shut up, and take the bull @!$%# handed to them is against everything this nation stands for.

and it is BROKE!

Right..

Because you should never speak up about anything you disagree with. Ever.

Much better to send a message that everyone needs to be obedient and never question the status quo. For that matter, how dare African Americans push for equal rights.

Police are making a big mistake when they turn on our people to defend the pigs that are destroying America. Wall street, banks, insurance companies and big corporations run America. They have a license to steal and their insane greed is destroying our country. If we don't force real change these pigs and their government will soon have us in depression and chaos.

What the hell are you talking about? We ran from oppression in Europe to America. Then when oppression followed us we rose up and threw it off. Then, when anyone who wasn't a white male got oppressed, we rose up again until those people got their rights. When corporations treated us like @!$%#, forcing us and our children to work in disgustingly unsafe conditions for slave wages we rose up against them too.

Civil disobedience is what made America great! Telling people to sit down, shut up, and take the bull @!$%# handed to them is against everything this nation stands for. You disgust me.

My comment was not placed to discourage civil disobedience.

Well then I apologize MV. There are so many people on here cheering on the police officer because "The people were sitting... illegally!" when, really, they just didn't agree with the protestors' message that I seemed to have jump the gun a bit.

Again, I apologize.

I can't belive you little Adolf Hitler (steven t) I wish you get "treatment" from this fasist US government soon

This is the problem of only about 30% of Americans getting a 4 year degree. Blatant ignorance will be the collapse of the tenets of American freedoms, what a shame.

The German student we have was SHOCKED to learn only 30% of US citizens get a college degree - ASTOUNDED to learn how much we have to pay in tuition. He pays about $400 a semester.

"When you break the law, there are consequences" True, you get arrested, when that cop decided to use force on non-resisting subjects "he" broke the law. So where are the consequences? Should we go beat him to a pulp?

Yes, those bastard protestors were sitting.... in people's way! People had to walk around.... in the grass! Those damn bastards!

I love how we can spray people for sitting in the way but we don't spray speeders or people driving under the influence. They're running the risk of killing people. But we can spray people.... sitting on a side walk illegally. If we can do this to them then I demand that ever person pulled over for a possible life threatening traffic violation be sprayed.

Oh wait! Those speeders are only risking people's lives. But these hippy bastards were protesting the rich. Now I understand the difference.

As long as a traffic violator doesn't resist they don't get sprayed. Those hippy bastards refused to comply.

Timothy, maybe if we started using pepper spray and tasers on drunk drivers some of them would get the message. Other means of enforcement seem to be falling short.

LOL @ MR. Binkie... 'those hippy bastards'..... now GET OFF MY LAWN.... LOL

LUNATIC

Oh be quiet. For $30k they should have to bathe in the pepper spray...

But they wouldn't, because bathing isn't an accepted occupy practice.

I say spray the stink-in people again on the way to collect their cash... OR just apply it toward their next year at "school". I find it ironic that the school has to pay for the crap caused by their own handy-work, warping generations into thinking, "Free is good, down with law and order!"

That pretty much says all anyone else would ever need to know about you.

Then you're the idiot, Jason Whaler!

I'm sure your Mother raised you to be better.

Why, because you disagree with them? What's next, Packers fans shooting Bears fans? Presbyterian death squads going after Lutherans?

America has turned a corner into a very dark alley....

I agree Ransom. No one ran in and pepper sprayed the the Tea Party gatherings. But my god, protest the rich and we can beat and spray you all we want. But America has always been like this. Your free speech is wonderful and grand as long as you don't use it against those in power. Then you're a God hating hippy.

I remember seeing the entire video where they arrested a certain number of the protestors who were not peaceful and the rest of the crowd surrounded the officers and refused to let them leave until the others were released. After about 15 minutes and numerous warnings of pepper spray, the spray was dispersed, however, everyone is commenting solely on :48 second clips and a still photo of kids sitting there. No mention was made of the agitators in the group or the police being surrounded and not allowed to leave. Restraint was used and all options were exhausted. It is sad how all of these posts turn into poor versus rich or police versus innocents. Everyone has their rights protected under the constitution, however, if you surround police and push those protected liberties too far, you deserve to be pepper sprayed.

The protesters looked pretty stationary. Not to mention that pepper spray is not a particularly equivalent response to kids who are sitting on the ground with their arms locked.

And you're suggesting that a bunch of cops in riot gear and carrying firearms were intimidated by a bunch of college kids?

Jason, they should have been horse whipped. The kids are in school to learn. Oh I guess they learned how to make a easy buck( or a milliom bucks!).

CowPiePatty.... Have You Ever Been Maced? You Do Realize We Are Talking About Potentially Toxic And Carcinogenic Chemicals Sprayed In The FACE Of Peaceful Americans To Violate Their Rights....Don't You?

As This Nearly One Million Dollar Law Suite Settlement Proves These Where Americans Standing Up For All Of Our Rights To Free Speech & Assembly Assaulted By The Police Yet Once Again The "Clueless" Besmirch & Belittle These True American Hero's!

If The Government Thought They Would Have Won Why Would They Seattle? They Wouldn't Have And You All Know It!

Psst And Why Did They Fire Lt. Pike?

SOooo How About You Leave The "Hard Work" Of Thinking To Those Better Enabled And Go Back To Drinking Beer, Popping Prozac And Watching Re-Runs Of Professional Foot Ball Games!

In Those Area's I Bet You Are An EXPERT!