Viral Video Shows Officer Spraying Bystanders, Prompting Comments Like “She’s Using It Like Flyspray”

A clip of an officer going spray-crazy with pepper spray on bystanders in the street is going viral and people can’t quite piece together why.

In the clip, which has been reshared by X user @welshmaan, the streets seem a bit chaotic as officers attempt to regain some control. But a female officer wearing a neon yellow vest can be seen stepping close to bystanders, yelling, and spraying what looks like pepper spray in their faces. The people don’t appear to be acting aggressively or resisting, but she still sprays them, with one guy who can be heard moaning in pain after the spray reaches his face.

She continues waving around the pepper spray, threatening others nearby before the clip ends. The video not only left people surprised but also questioning where it happened and whether the officer faced any sort of consequences for her actions.

The Officer is Believed to be a West Yorkshire Police Officer

While the clip has gotten lots of attention on X, with one person asking “what is she doing” and calling police “ridiculously embarrassing,” it actually dates back to 2023. So for those wondering if it’s AI-generated, it’s not.

After the clip began making the rounds online back in 2023, The Independent reported on it, noting that West Yorkshire Police were aware of it and were conducting an investigation. According to the outlet, the pepper spray incident happened in Leeds.

The officer can be seen rushing into the crowd demanding people move back, but before giving them the opportunity to do so, she sprays them in the face. She appears to hit one man and possibly two others, with one turning his head in time to avoid it. His coat still gets sprayed though.

In response, West Yorkshire Police reportedly said, per The Independent, “West Yorkshire Police is aware of footage circulating on social media around some disorder on Third Avenue, Rothwell on Sunday (22/10) afternoon,” adding, “The matter is being investigated and body worn footage is currently being reviewed. A referral has been made to the Professional Standards Directorate.”

According to the news outlet, the officer’s actions in the viral clip, which has been viewed millions of times since being uploaded in 2023, were also believed to be linked to an incident involving an autistic teenage girl that same year. She was allegedly “overreacting” during an encounter with the teen and then arrested her. The teen’s mom reportedly made a formal complaint, though the outlet says the teen faced no additional action after that. 

While it’s not clear whether the officer is the same one connected to the teen girl’s arrest, people were still surprised by how the pepper spray was used. “She’s using it like flyspray,” one person wrote, while another called her out for not being “fit to be a police officer.”

The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the events shown in the viral clip or whether any disciplinary action was ultimately taken.