Investigation of Gay Pride Fight
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KCBS)- San Francisco police are conducting several internal investigations into a wild brawl involving officers and several civilians at last weekend's Gay Pride celebration.
A video on YouTube clearly shows several officers pushing people, using force and one swinging a baton to keep the crowd under control at an area near Hyde Street at U.N. Plaza.
It also shows a woman hitting a CHP officer in the face.
CHP officers at a nearby recruiting booth were also there.
Police tell the San Francisco Examiner three officers were hurt.
San Francisco police spokeswoman Lyn Tomioka refused to say if the force was justified.
"Use of force never looks good to the public, it's what we avoid, but officers gave multiple commands for the crowd to move back, for the women to stop fighting and unfortunately those orders were not complied with," stated Tomioka.
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Six women were arrested. Their attorney, Public Defender Rebecca Young, say what happened is a clear case of police using unnecessary force.
"There's a single police officer who loses control of his temper and uses his baton and the other officers have to come in and back him up," said Young.
Several cases from this have been filed with the police watchdog agency, The Office of Citizen Complaints.
