Seattle Police Celebrate Pride by Attacking, Pepper-Spraying Crowd Outside Gay Bar

Posted by Kevin Farrell on Jun 25, 2012 in Oh Hell No! | 30 comments

The Seattle Police Department, currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for…I dunno…killing an unarmed Native American, pepper-spraying an old lady, countless acts of vile racism caught on video, beating the “Mexican piss” out of a man, etc., took to the gay streets of the city’s Capitol Hill neighborhood to show the world exactly how little they’ve learned from their federal rebuking over the past year.

Police surrounded a group of LGBT Pride celebrants outside of the Madison Pub, a low-key gay sports bar, and proceeded to attack and pepper-spray the group.

Happy Pride, y’all!

SPD claims that the group was blocking traffic and that an officer was kicked by a Pride-goer. Multiple videos and eyewitness accounts offer a very different story.

I do know that what I saw tonight is unlike anything I have ever seen before. I went through Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana. I have seen violence over my life. But what I saw tonight is egregious. It was crazy to see this tiny girl with her pink stockings on with a mini skirt laid out on the ground having physically protected police drag her across the concrete to handcuff her, while no other violence was taking place. What? This little fucking girl was such a threat you had to spray her off one of her friends shoulders, and drag her into handcuffs?

You should have seen them after. The blocked off the street from sidewalk across to sidewalk. Waiting for a move. This one cop was one of only a few with his billy club drawn. He would occasionally hit it into his other hand with a snide look on his face. Almost like he was hoping someone would make a false move.

Real talk, you have to be insane to trust a single thing that the Seattle Police Department tells you. And this is coming from someone now living in New Orleans. I think it’s safe to say that I know a thing or two about police corruption.

Gross.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=4302458 Kipp Williams

We must remember, as I am often told, that the first Pride celebration was a riot. Literally. In America, I would venture to say we’ve come far, but it is clear that we have somewhat further to go.

NEW_340

This is why I would demand intelligence / tolerance test of every officer nation wide. This is why many different minority groups are of the police. Look at the Rodney King beating… Acting with hate and snap judgement means that these officers were not stress tested and intelligence tested well enough. These images above will be broadcast all over the planet as a display of “America’s Tolerance”.!!!!Animal Farm ~ ON!!!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000190195960 Breanna Landsverk

Rodney King wasn’t because of race, he was on drugs and disobeying officers. The man was on PCP and didn’t even feel it. The video doesn’t provide a clear picture and who knows what happened. I’m not saying the cops were in the right because I don’t know what happened. I wasn’t there.

http://www.facebook.com/chad.bylsma Chad Bylsma

Don’t even start that shit! You’re right about one thing: you weren’t there! Even IF he didn’t feel it at the time, he sure as shit felt it after. Those cops were racist, just like most cops.

NEW_340

Excessive force was used on these men doing nothing wrong, and Rodney King. On pcp or not you don’t beat people with night sticks, your the dam COPS. BTW, have you watched the video of the Rodney King ? Theres nothing that looks like pcp in that video of Rodney King, except maybe for the cops behavior.

http://www.facebook.com/edward.planchon Edward Planchon

really this is sad cops are protectors they should not use there athoraty to attack people without reason or cause. I’m proud to be a child of a ex-cop, but its cops like this that make a bad name.
http://www.facebook.com/Kitaro.Karu Kitaro Karu

wow just wow its clear the man accused of assault did not assault the officer at all he was just standing there not hurting anyone and boom they sprayed him with mace then pulled him in to the street. that officer should be charged with assault and suspended and or kicked off the force for his actions
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=754850768 John R. Petrozino Jr.

The same shit happens in Austin – PD’s across the country are a disgrace – they’ve become nothing but legal thugs!
artemismeow

that was so horrible. and coupled with the “it gets better” ad it was just waaay too much for me. I feel ill now. is it possible for the man to charge the officer with assault ? clearly he just sprayed him in the face and then grabbed by the neck of his shirt it all looks so malicious.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_34RS4BTP3IR3K5JBL6HSY4SP7Q American Scorpio

The first video clearly shows Rogue-o Cop overreacted, was NEVER threatened, and attacked that victim without provocation. He needs to be sued and then fired. The SECOND video however shows cops very nicely ordering people off the streets and onto the sidewalks. Its the CROWDS with their cussing and insults hurled at the cops who are the embarrassment. Even I was hoping one of those loud mouths would get hauled away for showing such vulgar disrespected and contempt for officers respectfully doing THEIR duty.

artemismeow

well kind of, it’s two different perspectives of the same event actually. the slurs really start happening once the people see the pepper spray and the assault by the officer plus they have their right to assembly and Lt Calder had no real reason to crowd everyone to the sidewalk he was just pushing his weight around also notice that despite the insults the crowd is doing what the officer instructed. they can cuss all they want after cussing is not illegal.
http://twitter.com/OneAngryQueer Ian Awesome

You’re right. It’s super appropriate to arrest people for cussing at cops who are pepperspraying and beating their friends. *facepalm* Give me a break

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_34RS4BTP3IR3K5JBL6HSY4SP7Q American Scorpio

I didnt see anyone getting arrested or pepper sprayed in that second video. I saw officers trying to clear the street and asking partiers to get on the sidewalk. Believe it or not, gays and lesbians are not infallible as you seem to think they are.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=680193822 Chris Houston Lovell

1st Amendment. Have you seen how to SPD treats people who speak out? I am not at all surprised at their anger after the way the SPD has treated them for years. This is an agency that is supposed to PROTECT and SERVE, not BEAT and SILENCE.
http://www.facebook.com/saje.williams Saje Williams

Their uniforms–nor the fact that they’re armed and dangerous–do not guarantee them respect. They are afforded the respect their behavior engenders. Act like thugs, get treated like thugs.
http://www.facebook.com/SaintCynicism James Creason

Uh, yeah, “free speech” doesn’t apply exclusively to “polite speech.”

And considering what the officers just allowed to happen, I’d be cussing too. They don’t like it, maybe they should learn to behave like they belong in a civilized society, and ensure their colleagues do the same.
http://www.facebook.com/chad.bylsma Chad Bylsma

The cops had no right to react the way they did. I’m pretty sure there is nothing illegal about speaking your mind to anyone, even cops. I’m sick of cop apologists like you who think force is justified just because you don’t like someone’s attitude. It was the cops who showed up looking for a fight, not the people who got attacked.
http://www.facebook.com/mike.higgins.397 Mike Higgins

Umm the swearing doesn’t start until after the cops begin pepper spraying people. I kind of thing it’s appropriate to be pissed off when officers start abusing their power and using pepper spray to get people off the road and onto the sidewalk so they stop blocking traffic, I mean really, you think that’s RESPECTFULLY doing their duties, I think it’s the cops that are acting with vulgar disrespect toward the people they are supposed to protect.

http://www.facebook.com/daniel.nunn4 Daniel Nunn

Whilst I think the actions of the police in pepper spraying the guy were definitely over the top, I find myself wondering whether even if the guy didn’t physically provoke it… What was he saying (especially hearing the language in the second video)? No excuse of course, but Id be interested to find out. The second video I don’t feel any sympathy for – the street clearly is being obstructed unlawfully and the officers are politely asking for everyone to move onto the sidewalk, doing their duty respectfully. And then someone has to start cussing and hurling mindless abus, which is an embarrassment to everyone, especially other gay and lesbian people like me.
http://www.facebook.com/dennis.paquin Dennis Paquin

Looks Like Seattle just had it’s own Stonewall
http://www.facebook.com/samuel.atwood.79 Samuel Atwood

Why aren’t the police in question being charged with a hate crime? Because they were a badge don’t put them above the law. If you can put a priest in jail for molesting children why can’t you put a cop in jail for overstepping their authority? It is time for some oversight here since the the internal affairs dept. can’t seem to do their jobs in this matter. Wake up elected officials it is election year!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Mikal-Andersen/1086315380 Mikal Andersen

email the us department of Justice yall, be educated, don’t swear. It will just make you look ignorant. [email protected]
Kevin Webb

the second video was pretty terrible. The childish language, and the shouting. Next year just get a permit for a street party. The first video is kinda ugly too.

I’ve seen things like this, and I’ve been harassed by cops in the past without cause. Even threatened with arrest for “whatever I want.”

Maybe cell phone cams are a good thing after all.
artemismeow

I couldn’t find the phone number to voice a complaint on the officer but there is a contact form at : seattle dot gov / police / contact /
http://www.facebook.com/people/Iam-Pauly/1272493011 Iam Pauly

Are they importing their police officers from the South? Gee… I can’t wait to spend vacation days in Seattle… NOT.
http://www.MaleEroticDungeon.com/ Michael!

I dunno about all of this. Clearly this crowd was in a drunken tizzy and wanting to dance in the streets (bad plan, Pride or no Pride) and taught the police. Look at how Calder was behaving before this happened…he was pleasant, chatting, relaxed…but also chatting on the radio about something. Just because we didn’t see the person that got sprayed actually kick the officer, we don’t know that that person hadn’t done it and then ran and now they police just found him/her. I’m not saying the police are little angels but clearly that crowd wasn’t either. These are police…human beings…not machines. They have feeling too and react to stuff just like the rest of us. In my heart I really don’t think the police were there to cause trouble but rather to do their job (protect people, get their drunk asses out of the street, enforce the laws, etc) and they met up with a crowd looking to take their issues out on the police for all the other drama that’s going on with them (and with us). Regardless this is all frustrating I’m sure on both sides.
yatesmcc

While I do not condone the violence against the crowd, remember we are taught ‘judge not, lest you be judged by the same measure.’ The crowd was yelling and cussing at the police who were there to protect them. As none of us were there, we do not know what was actually said between the officer and the individual who was pepper-sprayed. There are always 2 sides to a story. Give both the crowd and the Police Lt. the benefit of the doubt and let their superiors sort this all out. Saying the Seattle PD is at fault is merely creating division based on our own biases.
http://www.facebook.com/mike.higgins.397 Mike Higgins

right to assembly does not include right to block traffic. The police were correct in trying to clear the actual street, it was the pepper spray that was completely ridiculous.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JM24CDXB3I5DTRBTEOL6WVFA74 Ineeda

i’d pepper spray a bunch of drunk queens too.
http://twitter.com/GaleSquid Gale ✩

Why does it seem like the military is actually less violent and more accepting of minorities than the police nowadays? o___o

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