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US police pepper-spray 9-year-old amid mental health episode, footage shows

A nine-year-old Black girl was handcuffed and pepper-sprayed by police in the US city of Rochester, footage released Sunday showed, sparking new outrage over excesses committed by the country’s law enforcement.
Deputy Police Chief Andre Anderson said Sunday the girl - who has not been named - had been suffering from a serious mental health emergency, reportedly threatening to take her own life and that of her mother.
Officers called to the scene on Friday responded by handcuffing her, before trying to force her into a car and pepper-spraying her when she resisted, body cam videos released by the city’s police force showed.
Footage of police violence against African-Americans, including the May killing of George Floyd, sparked a summer of protests across the US against racial injustice and police brutality last year.
Rochester police on Saturday claimed they were “required” to use handcuffs and the irritant against the girl for her own safety.
Mayor Lovely Warren condemned their use of force against a child, pledging an internal review of the city’s law enforcement practices.
“It is clear from the video that we need to do more supporting our children and families,” she said at a press conference Sunday.
“I have a 10-year-old child, so she’s a child, she’s a baby,” she added.
“This video, as a mother, is not anything you want to see. We have to understand compassion, empathy.”
The incident is the second time in a year that Rochester has come under national scrutiny for police violence against African-Americans, following the killing last March of
Daniel Prude, who died after police hooded and forced him face down on the road.
The death of Prude, who was also undergoing a mental health crisis at the time of his detention, prompted a grand jury probe and sparked mass protests.
Rochester city council members condemned the footage, accusing the police of excessive force in a situation where mental health professionals should have been involved.
Local police chief Cynthia Herriott-Sullivan also acknowledged that the police had acted excessively.
“I’m not going to stand here and tell you that for a 9-year-old to have to be pepper-sprayed is OK,” she said Sunday. “It’s not.”
But the local police union president defended the officers’ actions, saying that “limited resources” had left them no choice but to use pepper-spray against the child.
“This is not about lack of compassion or empathy,” Mike Mazzeo said Sunday. “We’re dealing with a very difficult situation.”
“It’s not TV, it’s not Hollywood. We don’t just have a simple put someone in handcuffs and have them comply,” he said.
source: The Associated Press
Image source: AFP
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Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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