"In both cases demonstrators linked their arms inside metal sleeves and refused to let go until after the liquid spray was applied.
Authorities said they used the pepper spray because they were afraid that cutting the metal cuffs would injure the demonstrators."
Bolt cutters and saws would not have worked in this case.
OK I didn't know that. If they had no other way of removing them then fine. In my minds eye I pictured them simply using the pepper to make them move because they weren't obeying their orders.