PHILADELPHIA - A police officer is facing three counts of simple assault after a video surfaced showing him spraying kneeling protesters with pepper spray during a peaceful demonstration last month.

The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office announced the charges against Officer Richard Nicoletti, 35, this week.

According to a statement from DA Larry Krasner, Nicoletti was seen on social media videos June 1 spraying the three protesters "without provocations." The attack came amid nationwide protests in the wake of George Floyd's death.

He was seen pulling goggles off the face of a kneeling protester and spraying her in the face and "violently" throwing another protester, who was hunched over to protect his face, onto his back and spraying him.

The three protesters who were sprayed were offered medical treatment and eventually made it off the roadway. A protester who was standing when Nicoletti approached the group was not sprayed.