Are Inappropriate Police Responses Becoming Fashionable?

Just a few days after the police department in Fort Worth, Texas raided a gay bar on the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and violently arrested several patrons, word comes that another police department - this time in San Diego - raided a campaign fundraiser held at a lesbian couple's home, arresting several attendees and using pepper spray on a largely middle-aged audience.

Shari Barman, 60, hosted the event at her home with her partner, Jane Stratton, as a fundraiser for Congressional candidate Francine Busby (pictured above), who is running for office in a rather "red" part of California. Earlier in the evening, an anti-gay neighbor hurled discriminatory epithets at the crowd gathered.  A half hour later, police raided the event, citing a "noise complaint" and not only arrested one of the hosts (Stratton), but used pepper-spray on the crowd.  Even better, the police dispatched seven patrol cars and a helicopter (WTF!) to control the crowd.

Never mind that the crowd was mostly 50 middle-aged people eating appetizers and listening to a Democratic candidate for Congress.  And never mind the fact that three other neighbors reporting hearing no noise whatsoever (one even said that he was asleep until the San Diego Police Department came crashing onto the scene).

The bizarre circumstances at this event are still playing out, but whatever the case, it seems like the San Diego Police Department not only went overboard, they went freakin' postal.  Six patrol cars and a helicopter?  Is there no other crime happening in the city of San Diego?!  And using pepper spray on a largely middle-aged audience at a political fundraiser?  If that doesn't constitute unnecessary punishment, I'm not sure what does.