It turns out in America it’s surprisingly easy to get away with pepper spraying people. There’s a weird YouTube rabbit hole of “free speech auditors” who go around doing things they’re legally allowed to do but are shitty to get reactions. They escalate things until they pepper spray the person they’re aggravating. Even in their own videos cops show up and basically just shrug. I think the logic is that since it doesn’t cause any long term damage that a lawyer can pretty easily argue it was a “reasonable force”
Short answer: I’d be surprised if he suffers any consequences from this
I know that—I have pepper spray for self defense for that very reason, along with other weapons.
The issue is that you have to feel reasonably threatened still. For a gun, the bar is serious harm, and for pepper spray it can be a much milder threat such as approaching or violent words.
I just don’t see how “hello” is threatening before a verbal order to leave the property. That’s why I think the video is important—her attitude and stance will make a huge difference in how justified the response was.
It turns out in America it’s surprisingly easy to get away with pepper spraying people. There’s a weird YouTube rabbit hole of “free speech auditors” who go around doing things they’re legally allowed to do but are shitty to get reactions. They escalate things until they pepper spray the person they’re aggravating. Even in their own videos cops show up and basically just shrug. I think the logic is that since it doesn’t cause any long term damage that a lawyer can pretty easily argue it was a “reasonable force”
Short answer: I’d be surprised if he suffers any consequences from this
I know that—I have pepper spray for self defense for that very reason, along with other weapons.
The issue is that you have to feel reasonably threatened still. For a gun, the bar is serious harm, and for pepper spray it can be a much milder threat such as approaching or violent words.
I just don’t see how “hello” is threatening before a verbal order to leave the property. That’s why I think the video is important—her attitude and stance will make a huge difference in how justified the response was.
Other than to his reputation as an “alpha male”. And in his “business” that loss may well cost him his livelihood.
We live in hope.