Your use of "provoke" here seems to imply a lack of agency on the part of the cop. It implies a cop is a stimulus-response machine not unlike an earthworm. I don't think it's too much to ask the police--ostensibly exemplary citizens--to be better people than someone supposedly provoking them; to actually do their job with a little professionalism rather than act as a schoolyard bully would.

Who's raging? I don't see any raging.

And this isn't complicated at all. A suspect said something to provoke a cop. That's not against the law, as well it shouldn't be in a free society.

The cop reacted to the verbal provocation with physical violence. This is against the law, as well it should be in a free society.

Of course it's "inappropriate." It's so inappropriate it's illegal and puts the department at risk for an easily won civil suit.

This is only complicated if one is willfully ignorant of the law or thinks that police should be free to brutalize suspects if they feel like the suspect was asking for it.

I hope he does get an easily won civil suit. The look on that cop's face when he grinned at the camera is fucked right up and he probably shouldn't be in any position of authority. It's a shame that he had to smash somebody's face into a concrete wall before that became clear.

I still would not personally say a thing to a police officer, or turn towards them, or otherwise raise a fuss (and yes, I've been down to the station a couple of times). Guess I'm not a patriot. *sigh*

Ahahaha, you think the schoolyard bullies didn't all grow up to become cops.

"Grow up" might be wording it too strongly, though. Maybe "ferment".

As for Officer Grin O'Shiteater and the Buzzcut Squad, I predict two weeks paid leave while an internal investigation turns up a lack of evidence of wrongdoing, or at worst, a "voluntary" transfer to a precinct in another state. Bad cops don't get punished.

I'll welcome anyone to prove that last part wrong, though. (Please?)

He rage-boner-blocked before anyone could even get a halfie going. You're no fun BS.

Well I came.

I just wanted to coin the term 'ray-jay-jays'.

What was she doing wearing that dress? Pretty stupid. Rape; it's complicated.