Pepper Spray Insanity

Seniors getting pepper-sprayed by police in Causeway Bay in September

There was huge outcry last night when a 20-second video clip went viral of young man in office clothes, not dressed in black or wearing a mask, was pepper sprayed at point blank range by a police officer in Mongkok.

A man was sprayed with pepper spray point blank after asking where police's cordon line was pic.twitter.com/9sOQhzJdqB

— Chris Lau (@hkchrislau) October 31, 2019

 

 
Naturally the media followed up with the police today on why people had to be pepper sprayed at such a close distance. The response?

The police source said first of all, people should not be gathering where there is an illegal assembly. There are some instances where people just happen to be right at that spot, they have just come out of a restaurant, or finished work and their office is just there.

Police threatening to pepper spray a woman

He goes on to say: "Failing to leave a police operational area or a cordon does pose a threat to police. Those there pose a threat to themselves as well. That's why we have operational areas and cordons."

When asked whether it was appropriate to spray someone in the face at close range, the police source said pepper spray was a short-range weapon and an inflammatory agent that was used as an incapacitant.

"It should be sprayed at the face of the person concerned for it to be effective," he added.

Excuse me?! Shooting pepper spray right into someone's face is extremely dangerous.

While pepper spray compound is not lethal, it can cause an immediately burning sensation, and if not treated, can last 45 to 60 minutes. A person's eyes can become irritated and may swell shut, causing temporary blindness that can last up to 30 minutes. The severity of the effects depends on the amount used, the strength of the irritant and where it is sprayed. 

Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor director Law Yuk-kai accused police of considering protesters' questions and criticisms a "challenge to their authority" and silencing them with pepper spray.

Pepper spray must be treated right away with saline and water

Law said the office worker posed no threat to police and the use of pepper spray was "unnecessary" and "inappropriate" under the force's guidelines on the weapon.

"The man was willing to cooperate at the time of the incident. He was pepper-sprayed when he asked police where he should go. Police should have given him enough time to comply."

And this is only one of thousands of incidents of police ignoring their own guidelines and mistreating residents with excessive force. This is why we desperately need an independent inquiry into police conduct...