Possible reply to the Haka?
Haka performers pepper sprayed by police at high school American football game in Utah
By Jason Marsh FOX SPORTS December 08, 2011 12:24PM
A group of Polynesian American football fans were pepper sprayed after their performance of the haka was construed as the start of a riot.
The fans were attending a high school American football game in Roosevelt, Utah, and performed the iconic All Blacks war dance to cheer up their team after they punctuated a losing season.
However, local police officers thought the fans were rioting as the dance was performed in front of the only exit, and used batons and gas on the crowd, which included a family of 12 and a four-year-old child.
An investigation into the incident has cleared the police of any wrongdoing but the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has denounced the report as unobjective.
"I have seen a riot first-hand and know how dangerous they can be in an instant," said officer Wade Butterfield.
"No more force was used than was necessary to defuse the situation."
"I have never seen such an event, or even heard of such a thing," added officer Luke Stradinger, who had used the pepper spray.
The ACLU believes the decision to use pepper spray on the polynesians may have violated their constitutional rights, and that the police failed to consider statements from 15 witnesses who said they did not feel threatened by the performance.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/ha...-1226217154657
