KTLA

Arrest made after pepper-spray used at Fresno pro-Palestine rally

Police arrested a man accused of pepper-spraying a group of people rallying over the weekend in Fresno in support of Palestine.

Brian Lee Turner, 62, was taken into custody Sunday on suspicion of assault with a caustic chemical or flammable substance, the Fresno Bee reported.

Brian Turner is seen in a photo provided by the Fresno Police Department via KSEE/KGPE.

Turner is believed to be a man seen on video spraying something through a rolled-down car window toward protesters in another vehicle Saturday, police said.

It was not immediately known if Turner has an attorney who can speak on his behalf. No one answered Monday at a number listed for him.

Ahmad Qutami, 20, who was hit with the substance, said the attacker had rolled down the window and began yelling an expletive about Palestine.

Qutami said he was in the front passenger seat with three other people when the man, who was in another car and had a woman with him, rolled down his window and the parties exchanged words. The man then began spraying something out of a small canister, he said.

Police arrived shortly after the incident, Qutami said, but pulled over the wrong vehicle.

The group that was assaulted was able to take pictures of the man and the license plate of his car.