Pay attention people. This is how you protest.  I once caught a small wiff of pepper spray and couldn't stop coughing for an hour.  That's dedication.

Now what is this all about?

Found this page with the summary.

http://studentactivism.net/2011/11/20/ten-things-you-should-know-about-fridays-uc-davis-police-violence/

Of course the part nobody reports on is the fact that the students had encircled the cops after they arrested somebody and were trying to leave with the prisoners.  To allow them through  the seated protesters would have to move.  Hence why the above link is crap.

There were one of four options there

1) Wait, and see if the crowd/mob gets worse/turns violent

2) Pepperspray your way out

3) Beat your way out

4) Let go of people who were arrested basically showing the police are worthless and leading to a general escalation that would likely lead to riots.

Pepperspray was by far the best option avaiable. 

Those kids were sitting down. Unless one of the officers was particularly short, they could have just stepped over them

Your going tor step over people WITH prisoners in tow?

How did those hippies knew that somebody had been arrested? And what has it got to do with Davis Cup?

I was kettled for hours in the London student protests; not as much fun as it sounds!

Nah.  In fact, you could get in trouble if you spray someone and don't rinse them off in a timely manner.  Gotta rinse the OC off and then let the air dry it.  Of course, after that initial spray is gone and you feel normal again, that shower/bath you take later is going to feel like getting sprayed again!

I've been lucky to never have to endure CS gas (I know some military branches force you to) but I'd gladly choose being tased three times over being pepper sprayed once if I had a choice.