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Student protestors hit with pepper spray
April 5, 2012
LOS ANGELES (CNN/KTLA) – Some Santa Monica College students are outraged that campus police pepper-sprayed them during a protest.
College officials said the action was warranted.
The students were upset there wasn't enough room for them at the school's board of trustees meeting.
They were there to discuss a controversial plan offering extra courses at a higher tuition, and frustrated students rushed the door being guarded by campus police.
"It was all women in the front. They tried to pin my friend against the wall and I tried to get her from under and when I got her, they pinned my arms back and then everything kind of escalated. People were trying to help each other and they pepper sprayed us," said student Kayleigh Wade.
Santa Monica College released a statement saying when some of the demonstrators used force there was one discharge of pepper spray used by a SMC police officer to preserve public and personal safety. (Source: CNN/KTLA)
Some who were pepper sprayed used milk to soothe their eyes and David Steinman, a Green Party candidate for California's 33rd Congressional District, took pictures of the injured.
"Imagine the hottest bowl of habanero salsa being splattered on your face, and it continues and it gets worse and worse and worse and the more you rub the hotter it gets," said Steinman.
Santa Monica College released a statement saying when some of the demonstrators used force there was one discharge of pepper spray used by a SMC police officer to preserve public and personal safety.
Unfortunately, it said a number of bystanders, including college staff, students and other police personnel were affected, but students said the reaction was unwarranted.
"I thought the actions made by the police were completely unjustifiable. They're ridiculous, really over the top and completely unnecessary," said Wade.
The college went on to explain that "although a number of participants at the meeting engaged in unlawful conduct, Santa Monica College police personnel exercised restraint and made no arrests."
Santa Monica is a highly regarded community college, gaining widespread attention for its plan to raise rates for some of its required courses.
Critics said it's a two-tiered system that hurts lower-income students, but the college said it has no other choice because it's squeezed by state budget cuts.
The college has launched an investigation into the incident.
From Student protestors hit with pepper spray - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL
April 5, 2012
LOS ANGELES (CNN/KTLA) – Some Santa Monica College students are outraged that campus police pepper-sprayed them during a protest.
College officials said the action was warranted.
The students were upset there wasn't enough room for them at the school's board of trustees meeting.
They were there to discuss a controversial plan offering extra courses at a higher tuition, and frustrated students rushed the door being guarded by campus police.
"It was all women in the front. They tried to pin my friend against the wall and I tried to get her from under and when I got her, they pinned my arms back and then everything kind of escalated. People were trying to help each other and they pepper sprayed us," said student Kayleigh Wade.
Santa Monica College released a statement saying when some of the demonstrators used force there was one discharge of pepper spray used by a SMC police officer to preserve public and personal safety. (Source: CNN/KTLA)
Some who were pepper sprayed used milk to soothe their eyes and David Steinman, a Green Party candidate for California's 33rd Congressional District, took pictures of the injured.
"Imagine the hottest bowl of habanero salsa being splattered on your face, and it continues and it gets worse and worse and worse and the more you rub the hotter it gets," said Steinman.
Santa Monica College released a statement saying when some of the demonstrators used force there was one discharge of pepper spray used by a SMC police officer to preserve public and personal safety.
Unfortunately, it said a number of bystanders, including college staff, students and other police personnel were affected, but students said the reaction was unwarranted.
"I thought the actions made by the police were completely unjustifiable. They're ridiculous, really over the top and completely unnecessary," said Wade.
The college went on to explain that "although a number of participants at the meeting engaged in unlawful conduct, Santa Monica College police personnel exercised restraint and made no arrests."
Santa Monica is a highly regarded community college, gaining widespread attention for its plan to raise rates for some of its required courses.
Critics said it's a two-tiered system that hurts lower-income students, but the college said it has no other choice because it's squeezed by state budget cuts.
The college has launched an investigation into the incident.
From Student protestors hit with pepper spray - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL
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That would work, though. 
