Did Puerto Rican Police Go Too Far During Protests? What the Video Shows. – The New York Times

The New York Times reviewed dozens of videos and photos of the protests. They show that Puerto Rican police used tear gas on large crowds packed into confined streets, fired rubber-coated metal pellets from shotguns at close range and used batons to beat protesters who did not pose a threat. Around 20 people were injured, and 17 were arrested, according to Mari Mari Narváez, the executive director of Kilómetro Cero, an organization that advocates for police accountability on the island.

Though the videos show that a majority of protesters were peaceful, some threw bottles, cans and fireworks at police officers. On at least one occasion, protesters tried and failed to ignite and throw Molotov cocktails at the police.

In an email to The Times, Axel Valencia Figueroa, the press director for the Puerto Rico Police, said protesters had attacked police officers with “stones, plastic bottles with accelerators, explosive devices, among other things.” He added that police officers are allowed to use approved “containment and dispersion techniques” to deal with crowds that turn violent.

Tear Gas in Large Crowds