Kodiak moments

People who live in Alaska have to deal with challenges that the rest of us don't face on a regular basis. There's the cold, the wild animals, the proximity to Hosers. And, apparently, they get sprayed with strange substances by angry drunks:

A man faces assault charges after allegedly spraying bar patrons twice with bear spray. Kodiak police charged Daniel Pement after the incidents Saturday and Sunday at the B&B Bar.

Police said Pement was escorted from the bar on Saturday, but returned 15 minutes later and allegedly sprayed customers. Police talked to him later and took the bear spray, but were called away on a more urgent matter.

On Sunday, police were called to the bar again after Pement allegedly sprayed patrons with another can of bear spray.

I'm confused. Is bear spray something that bears spray on stuff to mark their territory or attract mates? Or is it something you use to repel bears? Because if it's the latter, it sounds like he was doing them a favor.