Police departments around the world are under an increased scrutiny in recent weeks, with a number of news outlets dedicating serious time to cover some of the more outrageous protests that we’ve seen.
The situation certainly isn’t ideal, particularly as the situation continues to grow violent in cities such as Atlanta and Seattle.
Now, in the Washington capital where six blocks have been seized by alleged leftists, a judge has now ruled against the use of chemical agents by police, albeit temporarily.
U.S. District Judge Richard Jones issued the two-week ban pointing to the dangers of using “indiscriminate” tactics that could harm peaceful protesters or innocent bystanders and claimed the use of force is unconstitutional.
“Because they are indiscriminate, they may even spill into bystanders’ homes or offices as they have done before,” Jones wrote in his ruling.
He also pointed out the potential for tear gas and pepper spray to induce coughing or other reactions that could also spread the coronavirus.
Plaintiffs in the suit brought forth by Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County and the Washington state chapter of the ACLU described aftereffects of aggressive tactics used by police to disperse crowds during protests stemming from the death of George Floyd.
Protesters who took to the streets after Floyd’s death have been pushing for reformation within the American policing landscape, but, even for them, this seems intense.
