Parents of seven-year-old allegedly maced at Seattle protest speak out against police

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

‘I just don’t understand how any of them can sleep’

The parents of a seven-year-old child who was allegedly sprayed with mace by police at a peaceful protest in Seattle have spoken out about the traumatising incident.

Footage of the protest that showed the boy screaming in pain while protesters attempt to help by using a milk-like substance to wash the child’s eyes went viral online at the beginning of June.

The video also shows protesters confronting the officers allegedly involved in spraying the child and asking for their badge numbers. One officer allegedly refused to give the protesters his badge number.

Mando Avery, the father of the seven-year-old, told The Guardian that he and his son had just finished praying with members of their church as part of a peaceful anti-racism protest when a police officer fired mace at the group which hit his son in the face.

When asked by the newspaper what he would say to police about the alleged incident he said: “I would say that you were targeting my boy.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/just-don-t-understand-them-154241268.html

[Mariana]

1. "I just don't understand how any of them can sleep."

That's because you have a conscience. The police officers who did this - and the ones who stood by and watched, and did nothing - do not have consciences. They enjoy doing this. They get off on it. And they sleep just fine.

[maxsolomon]

2. a "milk-like substance"

AKA milk. it's as milk-like as possible.

[abqtommy]

3. I'm a parent and although my children are all grown-ups now I would never take a 7-year-old

child to any protest, even a "peaceful" one. That would defeat my purpose as a parent, which is not to knowingly put my child in harm's way...

[uponit7771]

4. +1, the police are too violent to have children around

[Ms. Toad]

5. My parents took me to the 1963 civil rights marches when I was about that age -

It was part of raising me to be a caring human being who speaks out against injustice.

Children's voices can be a very powerful tool for change - both societally, and personally.

Until my child is of age to truly weigh all of the risks and benefits, I would carefully choose the protests I allowed my child to be involved in (daytime, more local, for example), but I would support their right to be involved if they want to do so.