George Floyd Protests: Viral Video Shows Kansas Cops Pepper-Spraying, Arresting Man After He Shouts Profanity

A video showing Kansas police arresting a protester and pepper-spraying other demonstrators has gone viral on social media, causing public outrage. The incident took place at the Country Club Plaza on May 30.

Several clashes between protesters and police have been reported across the United States. The protests are in response to the death of 46-year-old George Floyd, a black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer continued to kneel on his neck even after the man pleaded that he could not breathe.

The video from Kansas, which has gone viral on social media, shows a man yelling profanity at the officers and asking them to turn in their badges. The protester steps forward from the curb and continues to yell at the officers who are seen standing on the other side of the street.

The officers then approach the man, who steps back onto the curb. When the officers grab the man, a woman tries to stop them and other demonstrators grab the man from behind. That is when an officer uses pepper spray which strikes the woman in the face. The officers then pull the man to the other side during which the protester trips and falls.

The other demonstrators throw objects at the officers and continue to scream profanity. The officers then spray toward the other protesters.

Warning: The video contains graphic language

Confirming that he had seen the video, Police Chief Rick Smith said, “People are trying to hold that person back. I don’t think he’s resistant, but some of the crowd is resistant. That’s how the officers on the scene decided that was the best tool.”

“We want to use peaceful [measures]. We’re trying to do that. When we say, ‘That curb is the line,’… we have to set an expectation, and we have to do that for the safety of everybody involved,” he added.

Speaking about the video, Deputy Chief Karl Oakman said, “What you’re probably seeing is the end result of the individual repeatedly defying the orders earlier in the day. You’ll see them going in and out of the street, and eventually, you’ll get to the point where that’s the best opportunity to take him into custody.”