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Love Connection Born Out Of Pepper Spray At Occupy Wall Street
By
Ben Yakas
Published Oct 26, 2011
Modified Oct 26, 2011
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Oct 26, 2011
Modified Oct 26, 2011
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We've heard all about how Occupy Wall Street protesters are having loud sex among the tents and the tables at Zuccotti Park as OWS stretches into its sixth week there. But it isn't all just hedonistic young people losing their virginities and gaining some STD's—some protesters may be finding true love. And one demonstrator who was pepper-sprayed by infamous officer Anthony Bologna shared her story of getting blinded by love with the News: "Nothing strengthens a relationship like a chemical agent," said medic Robert Grodt.
Kaylee Dedrick was one of two protesters pepper-sprayed by Tony Bologna on September 24th at an OWS rally—she had seemingly been cooperating with police who had placed her into a kettling pen before the incident. Although she's still angry about the incident (you can watch the whole series of events unfold in the video below), there was one silver lining to the fact that she felt like her eyes were on fire: she met Grodt, a volunteer medic who rushed to help her after she was hit.
He took her to a nearby cinema for treatment: "I was treating her in a utility closet," he recalled. Shortly thereafter, the two bonded on the roof of the cinema over their shared hatred of the NYPD. "I think the main topic was 'F--- the police,' and how crazy it was, and how lucky we were that we got out when we did," said Dedrick, a teacher's aide from Albany. With that conversation, the romance was underway, and the two now slumber side-by-side, engaging in that "natural human thing."
The two are both still upset that Bologna only lost ten vacation days for the incident: "It was a tremendous amount of pain. I was blind for abut 45 minutes... I want something to happen, for this man to feel the repercussions of what he did that day," Dedrick said previously. But they are happy to have found one another as a result: "It happened for the good cause of the occupation." Ahh, to be young, horny, and in love after a month of knowing each other under heightened circumstances. If they aren't using the OWS condoms, we wouldn't be too surprised if they provided OWS with the first Zuccotti Park baby.
Tagged
dirty hippie love
love
occupy wall street
ows
protest
romance
Zuccotti Park
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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