Occupy DC Protester Gets Tased

By: Pat Prescott
01/29/2012 03:31 PM ET

Occupy DC demonstrators are getting louder and one protester was based after a violent encounter with police. They have entrenched themselves in Freedom Plaza and McPherson Square downtown. Patience with the protests seems to be wearing thin for some officials, and the National Park Service director says Park Police soon will begin to enforce the ban on camping in McPherson Square.

Tensions between Occupy DC protesters and law enforcement increased Sunday afternoon after a member of the McPherson Square encampment was subdued with an electric shock from a taser and taken away after a violent encounter with police.

Police on scene confirmed that a person had been subdued with a Taser and arrested but gave no further details.

Protesters said Park Police had been passing out flyers warning that at noon Monday they will begin enforcing a longstanding ban on camping overnight in the square and Freedom Plaza.

The arrested protester, who is known as “Lash,” became angry when police entered his tent on Sunday to give him one of the pink flyers, according to Tracy Keith, 49, a researcher from Raleigh, N.C., who has been in the square for several months.

“He told them: ‘Get out of here, get out of my tent. You’ve already given us enough of these,’” Keith said. He said the protester ripped up the flyer and followed the police around the encampment tearing down other flyers until the confrontation escalated and police forced him to the ground stunned him with the Taser.

Keith said the protester passed out and vomited. Other protesters became angry and demanded that police summon an ambulance. Instead, a police vehicle arrived to transport the protester.

Source: Occupy Dc Protester Tased