A newly released video taken by a Cleveland Police officer’s body cam shows a different officer spraying tear gas into the face of a peaceful protester, a woman who is simply standing in front of officers and talking to them.
The woman, on the left side of the video, is holding a sign down in front of her when an officer raises a can of a chemical and sprays it in her face. Prior to the use of the spray, a man holding a handicapped parking sign is seen coming up behind the woman.
Officers did not attempt to assist the woman, nor did they try to arrest or detain anyone. Bystanders immediately questioned the rationale for gassing the woman or anyone else at the demonstration.
Minutes later, the confrontation escalated, with protesters throwing items at police and police responding by launching volleys of tear gas canisters and flash-bang grenades into the crowd.
The Cleveland Police are investigating two complaints of excessive use of force by law enforcement during the protests, according to the Washington Post. It is not clear if this video depicts one of those incidents.