Do any of the people who got gassed in this video look like they are committing violence or destruction? The cop who tossed the gas grenade is certainly committing violence, but that's about all I can see.
> I'm not a tough person, I'm not an aggressive person, I'm not a violent person. I was just standing there quietly alongside other peaceful protestors. I wanted desperately for the police to prove us wrong and show compassion and a desire to serve and protect the people. I was speaking gently to the officer who shoved me back before this...trying to look him in the face through his gas mask...telling him my name, about my wife and my family. I don't know why really.
> Then this gas was dropped and it went to hell. I was already blind within seconds. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't see. When I opened my eyes the smoke was too thick anyway to see a way out. I shouted that I couldn't breathe several times. The police just told me to move. I yelled, "Where?" with my last breath, but no help. I stumbled through the gas. The whole time in a complete panic. I could not breathe, and my involuntary response when the gas hit was to push all the air out of my lungs. I felt like I would collapse within seconds, and nearly did.
> Somehow I got out, after going a couple blocks through the smoke. I was nauseous, I had vomit in my mouth. Snot poured from my face. I still couldn't breathe. Every instinct told me not to breathe, but I figured I needed to get the gas out of my lungs, and I forced some breath.
> I stumbled away for the next 30 minutes, trying to get home. Some kind people gave me milk to pour in my eyes and face to help with the burns. Someone sprayed me with baking soda and water. As I was leaving, I saw more and more people coming down silently to join the protests.
> It's the next day, about 20 hours later. I still feel the tear gas in my lungs. It still burns.
> Not being able to breathe is the most terrifying experience of my life. A little fucking ironic, isn't it, to have the police forcing tens to hundreds of protestors to not be able to breathe at this protest?
It is going to be an us versus them, because not a single cop broke line, to do anything about the one who threw the grenade. They are making this an us versus them, because they stand as a united block, protecting their own, regardless the circumstances.
The job of a peace officer is to de-escalate the situation. Not a single one of them in the video is de-escalating the situation. One of them is committing assault, and the rest are standing there, watching.
It has already escalated for one reason or another, and it's hard for violence to de-escalate as it feeds each side until one decides to be "the loser". Only then can it subside or de-escalate. Right now, the police can't leave things be as they are in some places watching protests turn violent. Personally, I would hold them accountable if they didn't try to stop violent protestors and to disperse large crowds that start getting unruly or have the potential to. And that says nothing of the message or the grievances that the protestors may have.
Also in the midst of a pandemic that kills by making you unable to breathe, and which is going get worse in the next few weeks because of all this.