‘Simply horrible’: Rochester mayor laments police pepper-spraying girl

Two police officers in Rochester, New York, have been placed on administrative leave and another suspended after video footage showed a nine-year-old girl being handcuffed and pepper-sprayed.

Rochester’s mayor, Lovely Warren, announced the disciplinary action on Monday night, after protesters marched through the city, demanding police reform.

“What happened Friday was simply horrible, and has rightly outraged, all of our community,” Warren said in a statement.

Video released by police showed a young girl being restrained after officers were summoned to a family disturbance on 29 January. Crying and shouting “I want my dad”, the girl was led to a police car. She was sitting in the back seat when a male officer told his colleague: “Just spray her at this point.”

Police proceeded to pepper-spray the nine-year-old, who screamed and shouted: “Wipe my eyes, please.” An officer then closed the door. The video showed at least seven officers were present.

About 200 protesters gathered in Rochester on Monday night, the Democrat and Chronicle reported. The group chanted “RPD look what you did, you just Maced a little kid” and “Keep your cuffs off of our kids”.

The three officers will remain on full pay, the Chronicle reported. Warren said New York law prevents immediate action to discipline officers, something she hopes to change.

“Unfortunately, state law and union contract prevents me from taking more immediate and serious action,” she said. “I will lead the charge that these laws be changed.”

The New York state attorney general, Letitia James, said her office was “looking into” what happened and called the incident “deeply disturbing and wholly unacceptable”.

Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, said the incident would be “fully investigated”.

“As a human, this incident is disturbing and as a father, it’s heartbreaking – this isn’t how the police should treat anyone, let alone a nine-year-old girl,” Cuomo said.

Rochester police were already under scrutiny over the death of a mentally ill black man in March 2020. Daniel Prude, 41, died of asphyxiation after officers put a hood over his head and pressed his head to the pavement for two minutes.

Rochester police released body camera footage six months after Prude’s death, after his family sued the city. The incident prompted national protests. The police chief was fired.