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Pepper spraying of the Occupy Wall Street demonstrators by Anthony Bologna, a New York City police officer and Deputy Inspector, is being investigated. According to NYPD Chief Spokesman Paul J. Browne, Bologna used pepper spray "appropriately," adding "Pepper spray was used once, after individuals confronted officers and tried to prevent them from deploying a mesh barrier — something that was edited out or otherwise not captured in the video." Members of the Occupy Wall Street protest movement responded to this by releasing additional videos from several angles. A second video posted to the Daily Kos, apparently taken seconds later, showed Bologna spraying a photographer wearing a press card, who later said Bologna told him to leave the area and that he could be arrested.

Deputy Inspector Roy Richter, head of the Captains Endowment Association, a union representing high-ranking officers, said, "Deputy Inspector Bologna’s actions that day were motivated by his concern for the safety of officers under his command and the safety of the public. The limited use of pepper spray effectively restored order without any escalation of force or serious injury to either demonstrator or police officer." New York Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said that the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau would examine the incident, but also criticized "tumultuous" protesters whom he called "disorderly" and "intent on blocking traffic" as they marched on University Place. The use of pepper spray is primarily limited to use against those resisting arrest or for protection, but is allowed to officers with special training for use in "disorder control".

In 2007, a protester at the 2004 Republican National Convention filed a lawsuit against Bologna alleging false arrest; the suit is still pending in federal court.

References

1. Amateau, Albert (June 28-July 5, 2005). "After years of trouble-shooting, he gets a precinct". The VillagerTemplate:Inconsistent citations {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: postscript (link)
2. Fallows, James (September 25, 2011). "An Important Video to Watch: Pepper-Spray by a Cruel and Cowardly NYC Cop". The Atlantic Monthly.
3. "Hackers grab Goldman CEO's personal data". CBS News. September 27, 2011.
4. Adam Martin. "Pepper Spray Cop Has a History of Tangling with Protesters". Atlantic Wire.
5. Dwyer, Jim (September 27, 2011). "A Spray Like a Punch in the Face". The New York Times.
6. Coscarelli, Joe (September 26, 2011). "Anonymous Outs NYPD Officer Who Pepper-Sprayed Occupy Wall Street Protesters". New York Magazine.
7. Goldstein, Joseph (September 25, 2011). "Videos Show Police Using Pepper Spray at Protest on the Financial System". The New York Times.
8. "Officer Bologna" Occupy Wall Street website, September 26, 2011
9. Charlie Grapski (2011-09-28). "Bologna's Second Attack with Pepper Spray". Daily Kos.
10. ^ Al Baker and Joseph Goldstein (2011-09-28). "Officer's Pepper-Spraying of Protesters Is Under Investigation". New York Times.
11. McVeigh, Karen (September 27, 2011). "Occupy Wall Street: 'Pepper-spray' officer named in Bush protest claim". The Guardian (UK). The Guardian.

• Protests
• 2011 in New York
• Protests in the United States