An undercover cop who pulled a gun on a news photographer during an anti-police brutality protest in December was justified in his actions, the California Highway Patrol announced today.
After all, the cop who was trying to pass himself as a masked protester, was in fear for his life.
The cop was wearing a bandanna across his face, trying to pass himself off as a protester, along with another masked cop, when protesters began accusing them of being undercover cops.
One protester pulled the mask off one of the cops, which prompted the two cops to walk away.
But the crowd was incensed and began surrounding the cops, leading to one of the cops pushing a protester, who then pushed the cop back.
That led to the cop tackling the protester and handcuffing him, according to a KTVU report last December.
And that led to the other cop to pull out his gun at the protesters, including Reuters photographer Noah Berger, who took several photos that went viral.
According to the Oakland Tribune, the investigation was concluded three weeks ago, but it was just made public today.
The California Highway Patrol has concluded a plainclothes officer acted within department policy when he drew his gun and pointed it at protesters during a melee at a December anti-police brutality protest.
The unnamed officer was found to be justified for drawing his gun after his partner wrestled with a protester who struck him on Dec. 10, Avery Browne, chief of the CHP’s Golden Gate Division, said Thursday. The investigation concluded about three weeks ago.
“Was it unnerving? Yes. Shocking? Yes,” Browne said Thursday. “We take that seriously when there’s a display of a firearm, but had he not done that, today we might be having a different discussion.
A man, who protesters believed was an undercover police officer, pulls his gun on a protester in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014. Demonstrators took to the streets in Berkeley and Oakland for the fifth night in as many days to protest two grand jury decisions not to indict white police officers in the deaths of unarmed black men.
“He saved his partner’s life and other citizens that were there too.”
No mention was made of the cop sideway gangster-like grip caught in the photo, but maybe that’s just part of their training to make themselves seem more authentic to protesters.
But they obviously still reeked of law enforcement despite their efforts to blend in.
