Opinion: Updated crowd control measures need to be wiser
Karen Mann
- Page 1 of 1
10/23/04
Celebrations following sporting events are supposed to be happy. For Boston though, these celebrations have a different tone recently. They have become an excuse for people to riot, lighting objects on fire and breaking things. When these celebrations turn dangerous, fans look to the one group of people that are supposed to protect them, the police. What happens though, when the group that is supposed to protect you is the one that hurts you?
It's bad enough that innocent bystanders at Fenway Park have to worry about getting bottles thrown at them or getting pushed around by their peers, now they have to worry about being hurt by the police too.
Emersonian Victoria Snelgrove like most at Fenway Park last Thursday night, just wanted to be happy and celebrate in public with fellow Red Sox fans. Unfortunately, there were some people near her who turned rowdy. Police officers responded by shooting "non-lethal" pepper spray bullets into the crowd of people that authorities described as "threatening to spin out of control." Threatening to get out of control is not justification for retaliating against a group of people. This is using too much force prematurely. Witnesses have already come forward and said the police used excessive force that was not necessary at the time. There is no excuse for this.
The pepper bullets used by police are supposed to be a way to subdue as opposed to kill dangerous individuals or crowds. There are no accurate statistics for the injuries these weapons have caused. Although Boston Police would not verify it, Pepperball Technologies, of San Diego California said that they sell their guns and pepper bullets to Boston. On its website, the company says multiple times that when dealing with a crowd of people, shots should be fired at hard objects, like streets or walls, as opposed to people. It also says that the bullets should never be fired at the head, throat, face, eyes or spine. Yet the police officers who were trained to use these weapons shot numerous bullets at the people, and one witness said, at head level. If the police officers felt they needed to shoot bullets into the area, they should have shot towards the ground. Firing multiple shots at head level into a mix of calm and unruly people is not acceptable.
The police have taken full responsibility for the death of Torie, and rightfully so. They blindly shot into a group of mostly innocent fans. The Boston Police cannot rest until a full investigation is completed and released to the public.
Boston Police and Mayor Thomas Menino said the city is going to take more action during the World Series. Menino, for example, threatened to ban the sale of alcohol, in order to keep people from getting out of control.
Yes, action needs to be taken against people who think lighting cars on fire and breaking windows are the proper way to celebrate. But there needs to be some reconsideration about police performance as well. The poplice need to make sure that any action they take is 100% justified and does not result in another unnecessary death.
Celebrations following sporting events are supposed to be happy. For Boston though, these celebrations have a different tone recently. They have become an excuse for people to riot, lighting objects on fire and breaking things. When these celebrations turn dangerous, fans look to the one group of people that are supposed to protect them, the police. What happens though, when the group that is supposed to protect you is the one that hurts you?
It's bad enough that innocent bystanders at Fenway Park have to worry about getting bottles thrown at them or getting pushed around by their peers, now they have to worry about being hurt by the police too.
Emersonian Victoria Snelgrove like most at Fenway Park last Thursday night, just wanted to be happy and celebrate in public with fellow Red Sox fans. Unfortunately, there were some people near her who turned rowdy. Police officers responded by shooting "non-lethal" pepper spray bullets into the crowd of people that authorities described as "threatening to spin out of control." Threatening to get out of control is not justification for retaliating against a group of people. This is using too much force prematurely. Witnesses have already come forward and said the police used excessive force that was not necessary at the time. There is no excuse for this.
The pepper bullets used by police are supposed to be a way to subdue as opposed to kill dangerous individuals or crowds. There are no accurate statistics for the injuries these weapons have caused. Although Boston Police would not verify it, Pepperball Technologies, of San Diego California said that they sell their guns and pepper bullets to Boston. On its website, the company says multiple times that when dealing with a crowd of people, shots should be fired at hard objects, like streets or walls, as opposed to people. It also says that the bullets should never be fired at the head, throat, face, eyes or spine. Yet the police officers who were trained to use these weapons shot numerous bullets at the people, and one witness said, at head level. If the police officers felt they needed to shoot bullets into the area, they should have shot towards the ground. Firing multiple shots at head level into a mix of calm and unruly people is not acceptable.
The police have taken full responsibility for the death of Torie, and rightfully so. They blindly shot into a group of mostly innocent fans. The Boston Police cannot rest until a full investigation is completed and released to the public.
Boston Police and Mayor Thomas Menino said the city is going to take more action during the World Series. Menino, for example, threatened to ban the sale of alcohol, in order to keep people from getting out of control.
Yes, action needs to be taken against people who think lighting cars on fire and breaking windows are the proper way to celebrate. But there needs to be some reconsideration about police performance as well. The poplice need to make sure that any action they take is 100% justified and does not result in another unnecessary death.