If you still do not know already, #OCCUPYWALLSTREET has turned into #OccupyTogether, and it is sweeping nationwide across the United States.

I guess largely the liberation of Libya has had global repercussions, similar to that during the fall of Eastern Europe and USSR. There is an overwhelming surge of belief in power to the people.

Even back home in Singapore, we too had a similar event and rush of emotions when against all odds, the Workers' Party made a historical breakthrough by winning Aljunied GRC in the General Elections.

The difference though between protests back home and in the States, is that, in Singapore, the battles are largely fought online, over social medias, or at rallies. Meek as we are, and all the restrictions in place, Singaporeans don't really hold protest rallies.

On the contrary, in the States, where views are much more liberal, protestors tend to use more action instead of words. However, it should be noted that despite the numbers, most of these protests have been really peaceful.

So now, you have an interesting situation. From history, we know that when Ghanhi stood up against British rule and fought for independence, his non-violent defiance was met with force, mostly in the form of arrests and detentions. There was a growing frustration to suppress him into submission.

Today, we have a similar scenario with the #OccupyTogether movement. As an official of the law, what do you do when a growing number of protestors, legally abide by the laws in place, exercise their civil rights, and refuse to back down?

As we've seen in #OCCUPYWALLSTREET, the ultimatum was macing/pepper spraying the protestors into submission.



10 years ago, the news only came from the media, in the form of photographs, videos or first-hand accounts from on-site journalists. It might have been possible to censor such events from the headlines, or even downplay it.

But today, with camera-phones everywhere, and the internet just a click away, events seen through the public eyes can spread like wildfire. The NYPD defended the use of the pepper spray, calling it "appropriate" use of force.

And now, just days after the above incident, a similar event happened, this time in the University of California Davis. From the National Public Radio article:

"... In a demonstration of support for the Occupy movement, a small group of protesters was sitting, arms linked together. Campus police told them to move. The students didn't. And that's when an officer walked down the line of seated men and women, pepper-spraying them. Some took it straight in their faces...

... Campus police said the officers had been surrounded by protesters and commanders have defended their actions. So did university Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi — which led to a call from the school's faculty association for her resignation. Katehi has since said she wants an outside, independent panel to review what happened and that she doesn't plan to step down..."



So yes, it begs the question. Pepper-spray, like the taser, is supposedly to be a less-than-lethal agent for self-defence, riot and crowd control. However, is it "reasonable use" to pepper-spray non-violent protestors? In my view, the officers could have just picked up the student protestors if they wanted to, it's not like they were armed and dangerous.

But the more impressive turn in this incident, is the response by the non-violent protestors. Also from the National Public Radio article:

"... On Saturday, after a news conference she held, Katehi remained inside one of the university's buildings for a couple hours. Outside, protesters regrouped. And when she emerged, there was one of the most amazing scenes so far related to the Occupy movement. As Katehi and another woman walked three blocks to an SUV, they passed through a gauntlet of several hundred students — who remained silent in a powerful show of their disdain.... "



The deafening silence. The walk of shame. Indeed, silence did speak volumes louder than words ever could.