The Impact of Police Brutality: OWS and the Arab Spring

The Impact of Police Brutality: OWS and the Arab Spring
10 April, 2012 by llaurenfrank – OWS Analysis

Police brutality has occurred in both the OWS movement and in response to each Arab Spring Revolution. Though the response to the Arab Spring Revolutions has generally been more brutal than the response to OWS demonstrations, the brutality indicates a similar state attitude toward these revolutionary demonstrations: that they will not be tolerated. If the actions of police are any indication, it seems that democracies (as evidenced by the US) are no more thrilled with such revolutionary demonstrations than were the dictatorships which responded to protests in Bahrain, Egypt, and Libya.

One protester described the actions of the police as reminiscent of what one might expect in a fascist state, saying, “I’m here because I’m incredibly sad and incredibly angry; I’m hoping our city government comes to their senses and stops dealing with us like a fascist state” (The Guardian). That particular protestor was referring to the brutal force used by police to break up protests in Oakland. The methods employed included teargas, stun grenades, and blows with batons.

In contrast, police in Egypt have shown considerably less regard for the lives of those protesting. Reports of just exactly what police are doing vary widely, but reported death tolls are staggering. One March in protest of the government consisted of the relatives of approximately 850 people who had been killed while participating in sit-ins (The Daily Beast). Similar to protesters in the US, those marching were met with teargas and blows from police, but the damage done was far more extensive. Nearly 1,000 people were reported to have been injured, due to police action in that one incident alone. Police also employed verbal assaults and threatening family members of protesters. …more