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| Photo borrowed from Michale Moore's Twitter account. |
A scuffle broke out on Saturday at an "Occupy D.C." rally in U.S. capital Washington, with demonstrators against corporate greed and militarism getting pepper-sprayed as they tried to enter a national museum.
Hundreds, possibly thousands, of protesters marched Saturday afternoon from Freedom Plaza near the White House to the National Mall just under the Capitol Hill. As they tried to enter the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, a scuffle broke out between demonstrators and security guards. Security guards used pepper-spray to subdue those who tried to force their way into the museum.
"We got to the door, and they maced us. They pushed the people. They maced us again... before anyone of us can make it to the door, and then they locked the door," said Leslie Boyd, who came from Ashville, NC. "This is a nonviolent movement. We didn't do anything wrong."
Boyd said she was "a few people back" from the front line, but still got some pepper-spray on her face, "my nose, my throat, and my eyes a little bit," and it "burns like crazy."
As the pungent smell of pepper-spray spread, many protesters were forced to cover their mouths and noses with clothes. One protesters who got maced directly vomited on the ground. Many used bottled water to soothe their faces of the sting.
The museum's front door facing the National Mall was temporarily shut, and demonstrators sat on the steps leading up to the glass doors, demanding entrance.
Later, the Park Police, which is responsible for the National Mall, sent in squads of officers with canine units and horses. Fire trucks were also present, as demonstrators sat on the steps and refused to leave. No arrest was made until 4 p.m. EST, according to witnesses.
This movement is growing so fast that it is almost impossible to keep track of how many places that it has cropped up recently.
I admit am somewhat taken aback that they were maced in D.C.. That is a place very accustomed to protestors and you would think, after seeing the bad press that the New York cops received, that they would take great pains to avoid appearing to be jack booted thugs.
I believe we might be witnessing a movement that, though it is still in its infancy, might actually result in some important changes in this country. And unlike the Teabaggers I also think it impossible that they will be co-opted by any particular political party.
Which, by the way, is EXACTLY as it should be!
Update: Here is a video of the pepper spraying event.
After watching this I am on the fence a little.
I support the protests, but I don't think they should have tried to bring their signs and chanting into the museum.
My understanding is that they wanted to protest the "fetish-izing" of war and weaponry. Once gain I understand and feel some of that same revulsion on that topic, but there once again I understand the response to some degree.
Damn! Some times it sucks to be a reasonable person.
