Video Shows Child Maced By Police At Black Lives Matter Protests, 'No Officer' Helped

Police violence and brutality at the ongoing George Floyd protests have been rampant based on videos being shared online by protestors. Thousands of Americans and at least 400 journalists have either been physically harmed by police, tear gassed and pepper sprayed or wounded by police rubber bullets. One photographer was permanently blinded in one eye by a rubber bullet.

More than 11,000 people have been arrested at protests in the U.S. from May 26 to June 1, according to BuzzFeed News. These protests have engulfed more than 2,000 cities and towns across the United States and around the world.

It now seems American cops see anyone not on their side of the line as a threat. Even children. A video now making its rounds online has caused outrage after it showed a child screaming in pain after being maced in the face by police.

The incident happened two weeks ago, when Seattle Police Department (SPD) cops faced-off against protestors. One of those watching demonstrators go by was African-American Mando Avery, who was holding on to the hand of his seven-year-old son. The Averys and other members of his family had just finished praying with members of their church that Saturday morning.

Avery related a police officer that appeared from out of nowhere sprayed a group of peaceful protesters with mace tear gas. The chemical spray hit his son square in the face, Avery told The Guardian. His son screamed in pain and gripped his father in fear. The chemicals burned the boy’s cheeks.

Protesters poured milk on the boy’s face, and offered him water. Protestors tried to comfort the screaming child, saying, “It’s going to be OK” and “Give her some space.” Some initially mistook Avery's son for a daughter.

Avery said what angered him is that officers and a group of emergency medical technicians about a block away did nothing to help his son or other protestors hit by the mace spray.

“No officer, who’s paid to protect, chose to stand up, break the ranks, go help this child,” said Avery. “I just don’t understand how any of them can sleep.”

Avery said his son's still traumatized. He believes the cops were targeting his son.

“I don’t know if you were trying to set an example and strike fear into him," he told The Guardian. "You did a great job.”

Shenelle Williams, the boy's mother, said her son's scream was the “most gut-wrenching feeling." She also said she felt like a failure “because I feel like I couldn’t protect him, but there was nothing that we could do at that time to prevent it.”

The chemical irritants in mace cause a burning sensation in the eyes, nose, mouth, and throat. They can also cause difficulty in breathing and temporary blindness when the eyes swell shut. Mace, however, has largely been replaced by pepper spray as the crowd control weapon of choice among police. Pepper spray, however, has been known to kill people.

Evan Hreha, 34, a hairstylist marching with the protestors, saw the entire thing and recorded most of it on his camphone. Hreha even confronted the officer he believed had maced the boy. He told the officer he'd posting the video online, which he did.