Seattle mayor apologizes for pepper spray incident

Mayor Mike McGinn apologized Wednesday after some Occupy Seattle protesters, including an 84-year-old woman, were pepper sprayed during a march Tuesday night.

Six people were arrested after police said they blocked downtown traffic and ignored orders to disperse. Dorli Rainey, an elderly local activist, was among those hit by pepper spray. A picture of Rainey, who was not arrested, quickly went viral.

McGinn said in a Wednesday afternoon statement that he had spoken with Rainey, and had also directed police leadership to review the incident.

"To those engaged in peaceful protest, I am sorry that you were pepper sprayed," he said. "I also called in Seattle Police Chief John Diaz and the command staff to review the actions of last night. They agreed that this was not their preferred outcome."

SOURCE: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2016784533_apwaoccupyseattlemayor2ndldwritethru.html

I don't accept the apology.

So why do these events keep ocurring again and again?

The lip-service has to end.

Certainly these departments are aware of recent events that are happening nationally, this isn't an isolated incident and certainly the events in other cities can be drawn upon to create a procedure to prevent this.

Yet I call bullsh*t.

They knew what they were doing, how they were going to do it, and will continue to utilize the very same operating procedure in the future.

The image of the 84-year-old grandmother created such a stir, that you were forced to make a statement, otherwise, you'd be commending their actions if it were a 22-year-old college student...

what a horrible ""apology"".

using pepper spray that looks like it's coming out of a fucking fire extinguisher on an 84 y/o woman! if it was some hippie - just as much a person - or the pic not gone viral - this apology would never have occurred. i'm calling bullshit on this big time.

http://mayormcginn.seattle.gov/statement-on-occupy-seattle-protest-march/

I don't like looking at the rightwing Seattle Times.

All the Mayors apologized. Not gonna happen, unfortunatley.

They would have "preferred" it had been kept quiet.

Tesha

If there had been no photo of Ms. Rainey, there would be NO apology.

of the perpetrators.

:puke:

When do I get to say this whole fucking country is not my preferred outcome?

But yes, it's touching how this jerk apologizes after the fact.

My money is on him calling for violence "if need be" beforehand and now asking forgiveness to look all compassionate after all is badly done. After authorizing burning the eyes and faces of innocent people.

I am so fricking sick of these tools who hate US citizens, honestly.

McGinn and DIaz just suck as human beings.

The more assholes like McGinn use force, the more OWS is going to grow. Giving a lame excuse days later will also swell the ranks. And I am SURE THAT is not their perferred outcome. :eyes:

better to not have let it happen in the first palce.


I agree...seeems too little too late....