UC Davis police chief whines cops pepper-sprayed peaceful Occupiers out of "concern for their own safety"

What has happened to our police forces, north and south of the border? Watch the video below and tell me if you see even an inkling of a threat from the seated Occupiers. The chief of this police force is either the leader of a band of cowards or she's lying out her ass. I think both.

UC Davis Police Chief Annette Spicuzza said officers used force out of concern for their own safety after they were surrounded by students. 

“If you look at the video you are going to see that there were 200 people in that quad,” said Chief Spicuzza. “Hindsight is 20-20 and based on the situation we were sitting in, ultimately that was the decision that was made.”

Then there's the Chancellor who let this whole situation get so out of control. It's all one big clusterfuck (emphasis mine).

Police used batons to try to push the students apart. Those they could separate, they arrested, kneeling on their bodies and pushing their heads into the ground. Those they could not separate, they pepper-​sprayed directly in the face, holding these students as they did so. When students covered their eyes with their clothing, police forced open their mouths and pepper-​sprayed down their throats. Several of these students were hospitalized. Others are seriously injured. One of them, forty-​five minutes after being pepper-​sprayed down his throat, was still coughing up blood.

Here's some contact info if you want to vent your spleen:

Chancellor’s office (530) 752-2065 

UC Davis police (530) 752-1727 

The officer who pulled out the pepper spray was Lieutenant John Pike. 530-752-3989 japikeiii@ucdavis.edu.

From Digby: 

The brave Lieutenant Pike does his best Officer Bubbles impression (photo: Louise Macabitas)

Oooh, scary!

UPDATE: Andrew Sullivan:

The over-reaction, the lack of professionalism, the random sadism of this boggles the mind. The chancellor of the university, Linda P.B. Katehi, who invited these goons to break up Occupy Davis on the grounds of a campus those students and their parents pay for, has some explaining to do.

UPDATE II: The Davis Faculty Association is calling for the Chancellor's resignation.

UPDATE III: Dr. Dawg weighs in - with plenty of links!

UPDATE IV: Chancellor Kaheti responds with letter, calling for task force.

UPDATE V: Pepper spray into the mouth also employed at Occupy Portland.

Click to embiggen

UPDATE VI: Former cop blames 'dumbass' training for these incidents.

Cross posted with different title at Sister Sage's Musings.