Two college police officers have been put on administrative leave as result of an investigation into police brutality at an Occupy-inspired protest in California.
In a video uploaded to Youtube, a University of California police officer in riot gear sprayed pepper spray on protesters seated on the ground, in a sweeping motion as he walked back and forth.
Several protesters were sprayed directly in the face. University officials said two protesters were sent to hospital. Nine students were treated on the scene.
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The chancellor of the University of California, Davis, Linda Katehi said she feels the anger across campus, but dismissed calls for her to step down.
"I spoke with students this weekend, and I feel their outrage," said Katehi. "I am deeply saddened that this happened on our campus, and as chancellor, I take full responsibility for the incident”.
But the Davis Faculty Association Board called for the "immediate resignation" of Katehi, saying she had demonstrated a "gross failure of leadership" by allegedly authorizing the use of force on campus.
The protesters, who were demonstrating against tuition hikes, had ignored a request from the university to dismantle more than a dozen tents that had been set up on campus.
