Occupy’s 84-year-old pepper spray victim: Is this the most iconic image of the movement?

Washing Post ^ | 11/16/2011 | Maura Judkis

[Responsibility2nd]

When Occupy marched in downtown Seattle on Tuesday night, a priest, a pregnant teenager and an 84-year-old community activist were doused in pepper spray. Although there have been many striking images of violence and peace in Occupy encampments, and many faces of the movement, none may be as immediately striking as this image of Dorli Rainey, taken by Joshua Trujillo.
Seattle activist Dorli Rainey, 84, reacts after being hit with pepper spray during an Occupy Seattle protest on Nov. 15 at Westlake Park in Seattle. (Joshua Trujillo - AP)

Rainey’s direct gaze at the camera as her face drips with pepper spray is a haunting, cinematic image of brutality, emphasized even more by the chiaroscuro of dark gloved hands holding her head up to lead her to safety. Dashiell Bennett of the Atlantic has speculated that this image may become the defining one of Occupy unrest.

Rainey, a community activist since the ’60s, decided to walk by the protest on her way to a transportation meeting in the Northgate neighborhood of Seattle.

[Responsibility2nd]

Also....

 

 

Dorli Rainey, 84, the new face of the Occupy protests

Washington Post (blog) - ‎2 hours ago‎

The photograph turned Dorli Rainey into the face of the Occupy protests Wednesday after it went viral on the Internet. Covered in pepper spray, the 84-year-old woman looks both shaken and determined as she walks through the crowd at the ...

Keith Olbermann, Dorli Rainey Talk Pepper Spray Incident, Occupy Movement (VIDEO)

Huffington Post - ‎2 hours ago‎

Keith Olbermann spoke to Dorli Rainey -- the 84-year-old Seattle woman whose pepper spraying by police at an Occupy Seattle protest rocketed around the Internet on Tuesday -- on his Wednesday show. Before speaking to Rainey, Olbermann ran through a ...

Elderly woman hit by spray at protest: I'm 'tough'

eTaiwan News - ‎2 hours ago‎

AP An 84-year-old woman in Seattle has quickly become a face of the national Occupy Wall Street movement after she was hit with pepper spray during a march. A Tuesday night photo of Dorli Rainey with the chemical irritant and liquid ...

[Darksheare]

Too bad there isn't an airlock to send them out of.

At least on FR you don't have to smell the OWS zombies.
Support FR today.

[apillar]

Typical liberal tactics taken straight from the Palestinians. Use the elderly, pregnant women and children as human shields so you can get a good photo op when one of them gets hurt.

[WayneS]

She STILL looks better than Helen Thomas...

[dead]

No, the guy crapping on the cop car is the iconic image of the movement. Literally.

[WOBBLY BOB]

no, the police car pooper is their movement’s iconic image.

[rightwingextremist1776]

Hey, at least no one pushed her down the stairs....but that only happens to CONSERVATIVE old ladies...apparently communist old ladies would rather battle the police.

[ladyvet]

OWS taking a page out of the Palestinian handbook.

[LukeL]

If it was pepper spray, then how are her eyes wide open? Pepper spray causes an involuntary closing of the eyes and the effects last for a very long time.

[ladyvet]

Sorry, didn’t see your post.

[WOBBLY BOB]

LOL.

pepper spray is an aquired taste.

[apillar]

Why is the hippy beside her holding her ears? Is she suppose to be the “hear no evil” monkey. But seriously, it looks like he’s forcibly turning her head toward the camera so the protestors get their money shot.

[GlockThe Vote]

These cops are a bunch of thugs. Union thugs going after commie thugs.

[proud American in Canada]

She chose to be there and take her chances. So did the pregnant woman.

Anyway, I think people will remember the guy pooping on the police car far longer than this one, no matter how much the media would love otherwise.

[GeronL]

I think the giant pile of trash in New York should be the lasting image of OWS.

[albie]

Spray the old bag again! One thing I can assure you. The people that are “helping” her walk couldn’t care less about her.

[dfwgator]

Gaia won’t be pleased.

[Responsibility2nd]

pepper spray is an aquired taste.

 

 

Yep. You and Colbert agree.

 

 

Stephen Colbert defends Seattle police, says pepper spray is fun for the whole ...

Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog) - ‎9 hours ago‎

Don't worry, Occupy Seattle. Stephen Colbert assures you that pepper spray is just as good for 80-year-olds as it is for 10-year-olds. Reacting to the Tuesday pepper spraying of Dorli Rainey, 84, and an unidentified pregnant woman, Colbert defended ...

[albie]

“Why is the hippy beside her holding her ears? “

...because of the annoying whistle sound.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

So damn what?...She made the decision to roll with the garbage so she got taken out with the garbage!...