Lone police officer

Anthony Bologna, a man infamous among Occupy Wall Street protesters, who even warranted the nickname, Tony Baloney, is being sued for pepper spraying a crowd of protesters on September 24, 2011. Three women involved in the protest are filing the lawsuit as well as two additional protesters.  They claim that Anthony Bologna, a Deputy officer, violated their free speech and civil rights.  His actions were described as having “no legal reason,” and therefore the city of New York will not financially back Mr. Bologna for his actions regarding the protesters.  Instead the Captains Endowment Association, an organization that represents NYPD officers in the rankings of Captain, Deputy and Surgeon, will be covering Mr. Bologna’s lawsuit costs.  The Deputy was only docked 10 vacation days and given a departmental discipline which was an outrage to some who saw the viral video of the pepper spraying on YouTube.

Mr. Bologna’s defense said he was in the right and was only acting based upon what his superiors had ordered.  Apparently the crowd was out of hand and were charging the officers, but anyone that has two eyes and a computer can see that the Deputy’s actions were unjust and downright volatile.  There are over 1,000 cases of police brutality against the NYPD but this is the first of cases that the city has not backed up.  Is the city finally standing up for their citizens and defending their civil rights or is this just a way to cover their butts because the YouTube video of the incident went viral?  I guess we will only know if a situation like this escalates again and a corrupt police officer sprays a crowd with pepper spray.