Tasers, pepper spray, retracting batons and K-9 units
Yesterday's protest marks the first time in the city's history that police used
Tasers on demonstrators. Dramatic Indymedia video shows police dragging a young
woman off the sidewalk and Tasering her mercilessly as she lay on the street
screaming - and this after she was pepper-sprayed directly in the face. The video
clearly demonstrates that she posed no threat to the police or anyone else when
she was Tasered, marking a clear violation of the city's official guidelines
for the use of these controversial weapons. The activist was taken to UPMC
Presbyterian Hospital for treatment and remains in police custody.
Police also used K-9 units to chase away protestors on the sidewalk. A 68-year
old grandmother was bitten from behind by a police dog and then arrested and
placed in an unventilated police van in the hot sun where she remained for 45
minutes before she, too, was finally taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital for
treatment.
In addition, police pepper sprayed a four year-old girl, toppled a man with
Multiple Sclerosis in his motorized wheel chair and clubbed a number of
protestors with retracting metal batons.
At the time of the police attacks activists were peacefully assembled on the
sidewalk in front of the recruiting station, which had opted to remain closed
for the day in response to yesterday's call for non-violent direct action
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