UC-Davis Chancellor "Horrified" Over Pepper Spray Incident

By Lisa Kellman

“I have been horrified by what I have seen,” said University of California-Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi during an interview yesterday.  She appologized to students and staff during a rally Monday as well.

The interview occurred three days after a video went viral shwoing campus police in riot gear using pepper spray on “occupy” protestors who were refuseing to leave the campus. The students and non-students alike appeared in the video to be peacefully sitting on the ground in the center of campus.

In an email to students and faculty sent hours later, Katehi explained what prompted police to act.

“The group was informed in writing this morning that the encampment violated regulations designed to protect the health and safety of students, staff, and faculty.”

Katehi initially gave permission for students to “occupy” the campus, but as students and non-students moved in, she feared for their safety and sanitation and ordered the encampment be removed. Some moved, but others, like those witnessed on video, refused.

Police said they felt threatened by the surrounding students.

According to the chancellor, the police followed protocol, but she admitted that protocol is not always necessary.

Now, two UC Davis Police officers and the UC Davis police chief who authorized the use of pepper spray have been placed on administrative leave and many students and faculty members alike are calling for Katehi’s resignation.

“I will do everything I can to really correct this problem and make sure in the future we never have a similar event,” Katehi promised in her interview. She added that she has no plans to resign.

Katehi participated in a forum on Monday, after which a massive yet peaceful rally took place. Katehi appologized and said she felt “horrible for what happened on Friday.”  Occupy Sacramento protestors joined the rally to speak out against the pepper spray attack on fellow “occupiers.”

This story was updated at 6:40 p.m.