Receiving $38,000 After the Internet Gets Mad at You

Police Lt. John Pike became infamous for using military-grade pepper spray on student protesters at UC-Davis who were sitting in their campus plaza with their arms linked. The students were protesting some campus issues, including a proposed 81 percent tuition hike. UC-Davis settled a lawsuit with the three dozen protesters who were pepper-sprayed for $1 million earlier this year.

They’re not the only ones who got a settlement. Pepper-sprayer John Pike received a $38,055 settlement in workers’ compensation for the suffering he experienced after videos of him spraying the students went viral. The internet got mad at him and sent him 17,000 angry or threatening e-mails, 10,000 text messages and hundreds of letters, according to the police union. Pretty sure the internet is going to get mad at him again.

Support The Billfold

The Billfold continues to exist thanks to support from our readers. Help us continue to do our work by making a monthly pledge on Patreon or a one-time-only contribution through PayPal.