Talking about this incident on other sites. I kinda get the feeling that protesters want the police to not mace people based on age, disability and now religion?

I always enjoy his Real Change column. Though that one's lighter on this "armies of the Beast" stuff.

Not really sure what difference his costume was supposed to make to the costumed police. Do holy men deserve some kind of pedestal?

@2 - the fact that Dorli, the pregnant woman and this priest were sprayed shows that the police aren't being discerning or strategic about who they're spraying. It's punitive, period.

@5

So you say the police shouldnt mace people based on their age and religion? Seriously, the pregnant women, not only could you not tell she was pregnant, but she was putting the life of her unborn child at risk just by showing up (its not like Tuesday night was the first time police used mace).

@5 is correct, as anyone who has had real riot training knows.

#AndThenBoehnerCried as the Constitution was shredded.

Thank you for your sevace and god bless you sir

I don't think the police should be pepper-spraying anyone at all for protesting/occupying. Occupying the middle of the street is basically prolonged jaywalking. Police should be limited to tickets and arrest. It would be considered cruel and unusual punishment for a court to sentence a person convicted of any crime to be pepper-sprayed, so why is it permissible for agents of the government to pepper-spray a person who has not even been charged with a crime, much less convicted? It is clearly and obviously being used as punishment for protest, and as a deterrent tool to keep civilly disobedient crowd numbers lower.

I was pepper-sprayed in the face once by a cop on horseback in Portland during protests against Operation Desert Storm 20-ish years ago. I was on a sidewalk, complying with all orders made to the crowd when it happened. It was scary and painful, especially with a horse right next to me. Well, guess what I won't now do? I won't show up to protests where I think I could get pepper-sprayed. That shit can be a very effective deterrent to protest.

By that logic, kinison, I should know better than to walk outside anywhere in the city. The police have set a clear precedent in that scenario with John T. Williams.

Showing my ignorance (and my laziness re: Google), what's an alb?

I know what a stole is and what a cross is. Alb, not so much.

I'd assume that the police mistook him for a Catholic priest and thought they were hosing down a child molester.

@11 An alb is a clerical robe, usually white, often worn during worship services in most mainline Christian denominations

Our pastor has been to Occupy Seattle several times and there have been organized gatherings of religous leaders in support of the movement. I think she told the church council last week that the group is planning to staff rotations of religious leaders so there is a constant presence - we gave her our blessings to participate in any way she felt was right - so Rev. Lang should match up with them.

How about not surrounding protestors who are ON THE SIDEWALK, following instructions, boxing them in with bicycles and motorcyles then spraying them down willy nilly like you're watering a garden?

I have seen cops ACTING LIKE COMPLETE FUCKING ASSHOLES and assaulting people with pepper spray who are breaking no laws attempting to comply with directions, and who have been CORRALLED BY COPS and UNABLE TO ESCAPE being pepper sprayed.

This kind of thing in our city is horse shit.

Whether or not priests and pastors deserve special treatment, they can bring in support from people who otherwise may not be interested.

Rev. Lang,

While I agree that the SPD response was far outside of justifiable use of force, I am concerned/curious about some of the other points you raise. What stated goals of the Occupy X movement should the church be supporting, and what theological basis is provided for that support? I don't recall God calling for socialism in the Bible (thinking specifically of Matt 22:21 - http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matt…). Yes, we are to support the poor, and make homes for the homeless. But I don't see Occupy X doing any of that...

Respectfully,
--Steve Cook--

I just avoid reading into this that Rich Lang expects special treatment from the cops because he had his regalia on. Was that supposed to say something to them? I know for certain that Dorli didn't expect special treatment because she was old. She was astonished when she got all the subsequent notice. I think Lang was astonished when he didn't.

Lang is possibly making a big deal about his regalia, and it distracts somewhat from the point.

The fact is that pepper-spray is a use of force. Not as deadly as a gun, of course, but it is force nevertheless. A peaceful protest, no matter how inconvenient it is to commuters, does NOT justify use of force. SPD makes the argument that a couple of protesters appeared to be waving sticks or something at them. That might justify arresting a couple of jackasses, but it still doesn't justify indiscriminately and widely pepper-spraying a largely peaceful crowd. The police grossly overreacted and (mildly) harmed peaceful citizens for no reason.

Lang decided he would be a peacekeeper; he was not asked to be such. He could have kept peace without his alb and the rest; others do that.

I doubt other clergy are "cowering behind their altars". They may actually be at OS, just not so gaudily dressed, and not writing thundering articles.

@20

the protesters were ordered to disperse - they did not. at that point the police were allowed to use force. that could mean grabbing someone by the arm and walking them out of the area, pepper spraying them or knocking them to the ground and arresting them. it's the police's discretion which tactic they do or don't use - not the general public's.

there are allowable tactics that police are legally able to use when you refuse their order. yes, it may have been a peaceful protest but the minute a cop tells you to do something (in this case: leave the area) and you don't, then you are breaking the law. and they then have every right to use force to get you to comply.

@6, no, the police should choose their targets. Pepper spray is a weapon and it's supposed to be used in cases where the police are feeling threatened. The point that the priest is making is that the girl, the crowd, the pregnant woman, the 86 year old and the priest were very clear in every possible way that they were no threat to the police. Since they were no threat to the police they should not have been sprayed regardless of religion or age. The priest is making it very clear that as he stood there with his back to the cops and plenty of space between them and the protesters that there was absolutely no justification to hose the crowd.

This isn't about police spraying based on age or religion. This is about police assaulting peaceful protesters exercising their constitutional rights. These officers should be punished.

@22, an order by police is not the same as a law. Just because a cop tells you to do something does not mean you are legally required to do it. If those protesters are standing on public property, exercising their constitutionally protected right to free speech the police to not automatically have a right to spray them with mace or beat them. Please inform me what law the protesters were breaking. If you honestly believe that any order a cop makes = the law as you appear to be saying "the minute a cop tells you to do something ... and you don't, then you are breaking the law." is there any limit to the power of the police? Could a cop order you to drop trau and let him fuck your ass? Could a cop order you to clean his toilet with your tongue?

Also, as a previous commenter mentioned is there no limit to their enforcement of that order? If they were to arrest someone for illegally standing on public property and were somehow convicted of that could the judge order that person to be pepper sprayed as their court ordered punishment?

Police orders do not equal the law.
Pepper spray does not equal reasonable punishment for a crime.
Pepper spray is one form of protection police are issued to protect themselves from harm. There was no threat of harm to police so there was no justification for the use of force.

If Jesus ever comes back he'd better bring a gas-mask and body armor 'cause the cops are really gonna kick the shit out of his dirty, socialist hippie-ass.

@25, please explain exactly how Lang is "anti-democratic".