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Council hears complaints about pepper-ball deployments after Easter gathering; police say pepper balls, not tear gas, were used
Summary
Business owners and residents told the council April 6 that chemical agents and an officer atop a SWAT vehicle intimidated citizens and disrupted downtown businesses after an Easter event. The police chief said officers declared an unlawful assembly on Marion/Railroad, deployed pepper balls after warnings, and will review bodycam footage.
Several downtown business owners and residents told the Lake City City Council on April 6 they were sprayed and displaced by law enforcement following an Easter gathering, and they asked the council to investigate whether officers used disproportionate force.
"Last night I was pepper-sprayed or gassed by y'all officers," said Michael Warren, describing how customers were forced to leave his food stall and he lost sales. Kendria Jones, owner of Tracks Venue on Railroad Street, said officers ‘‘demanded that I close my business without providing proper legal justification or documentation authorizing such action’’ and that the response caused lost revenue.
Multiple…
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