Occupy UC Davis - Further Information

W. tells Boing Boing that Pike sprayed them at close range with military-grade pepper spray, in a punitive manner. Pike knew the students by name from Thursday night when they "occupied" a campus plaza. The students offered Pike food and coffee and chatted with him and other officers while setting up tents.

  Interview with pepper sprayed student

Two UC Davis police officers involved in the incidents have reportedly been placed on administrative leave.

[...]

UC Davis student Thomas Fowler, who made perhaps the best-known video capturing the pepper-spray incident: "No tents were confiscated yesterday. The protesters were able to break them down and get them off the Quad before the police officers could do anything about it. Which makes their actions that much more confusing, seeing that the reason they were called to the campus was to have the tents removed."

Fowler said the mood on the campus "has shifted drastically. A lot of the students who were on the fence or weren't following the movement closely are getting very involved now. There [are] a lot of students calling for the Chancellor's resignation in response to what had occurred yesterday."

[...]

Bernie Goldsmith of the nearby Occupy Davis: "At Occupy Davis, relations with the democratically elected city council and local police forces have been genial and productive. The authorities have worked continuously to harmonize the occupation's presence with the park and surrounding businesses and ensure that all aspects of the encampment remain non-violent. Those in charge of using force are aware that they are democratically elected officials that are directly accountable to the people.

"Occupy UC Davis, a mere three blocks away, is under the jurisdiction of an undemocratic, appointed regime of force over which its subjects have no meaningful democratic control. The authorities there attacked non-violent protesters with indifference, and, in some cases, a clear display of sadistic pleasure.

"There could be no better illustration of the differences between a democratic, accountable public safety effort and a fascist, totalitarian, unaccountable police state. The students of UC Davis have no meaningful voice, and that is reflected at the very top of the administration down to the officer on the ground who can spice up his day with a confident sense of utter, unassailable impunity."

  HuffPo