Oakland Spends Millions in Attack on Occupy Protesters, Closes 5 Schools Next Day

Categories: Front Page, News

On Tuesday evening at 5pm Occupy Oakland gathered at the foot of the Oakland Library on 14th Avenue before setting off on a march past the jail and onward to Frank Ogawa Plaza. The peaceful gathering swelled as it marched through downtown, growing upwards of 1,000 people strong. Along their route were police from 17 jurisdictions in California, decked out in riot gear and weaponry.

Just before 8pm the police began throwing concussion grenades and tear gas directly into the crowd, injuring several nonviolent protesters. Weapons were aimed and fired at people as they attempted to help the injured and bring them to safety. The crowd reconvened a block away and continued to peacefully occupy the streets outside the plaza. For several hours this scenario was repeated as citizens tried to gain entrance to the plaza while the police held their line using “non-lethal” rifles, tear gas, and barricades.

The city has spent several million dollars in this campaign to shut down free speech in Oakland. Meanwhile today the Oakland Unified School District will vote on closing down 5 schools: Lakeview, Lazear, Marshall, Maxwell Park and Santa Fe. They will meet at 5pm at Oakland Technical High, where they will be met with protestors from Occupy Oakland and other groups demanding a more sane and just allocation of the city’s resources.

Occupy Oakland will reconvene every day at 6pm at 14th & Broadway until the camp is reestablished. Join us!

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55 Responses to “Oakland Spends Millions in Attack on Occupy Protesters, Closes 5 Schools Next Day”

  1. joeyaces1234

    To All: My parents marched on Washington with Dr. King. I protested the Viet Nam War. After years of observing rallies, protests and occupations, I have a suggestion for Occupy Oakland. There is a radical fringe element which appears every time there is a protest in Oakland, (think Oscar Grant), who’s agenda, is anything but noble. they are anarchists who’s only contribution to the protest is to put a very ugly public face on the protest. It would be wise to self police your own event. Grab these hooded masked hoodlums, photograph and thumb print them then let them free with the warning that if they damage or destroy and public property they will be turned in to the authorities. This will stop them in their tracks!!! It is the responsibility of the movement to control the message: not have their message hijacked by fringe groups!!!

    Think about it!!!!! It does work, I have seen it. We did it in New York City with the Guardian Angles! You will catch more flies with honey than lemon!

  2. paula

    In response to the “This is not a conflict however between funding for police versus education,” there has been much talk on the relationships to funding and the school to prison pipeline in regards to our young students in Oakland, many of which face police brutality and criminalization within the schools. Public services are great, I know that the oakland chapter of the black panther party also offers free literacy and volunteer services. It would be great to link up and form a deeper analysis around, resources, policing and education.

  3. basharr

    And the protests were done accordingly under the rules and laws of this nation. Have you stopped to look at how many people in all these occupy movements are raking the stand of militants? Calls for lynching, overthrowing, collapsing, communism, socialism. Granted not all that from the Oakland movement but you have to be willing to denounce violence and anybody who calls for violence.

  4. basharr

    ” Unfortunately there are too many Anarchist/thugs in Oakland that hijack peaceful protests and turn them violent. ”
    If only the majority of the protesters would read these words and understand how few it takes to spark a riot and how many people there are hoping to light that match. Perhaps things would be different.

  5. basharr

    =) We can only offer thoughts and beliefs and hope others of like mind see right from wrong. I have seen many words written here on both sides right and wrong sadly.

  6. basharr

    police your ranks take responsibility for your protest, get rid of the hot heads and thuggish BS. Otherwise do not complain about the police action. I posted a video today in a reply where a female protester says bottles and things were thrown before the police acted.

  7. DukeOfUrls

    “police your ranks”
    or
    Be policed by someone else!

  8. basharr

    Had orders to vacate been heeded that man would not have been injured. Everybody throwing bottles and what have you also holds their share of blame.

  9. basharr

    “Because I do fully support this movement, I need to say the fools who threw stuff at the cops should have been jumped and ejected by the protesters before it had to escalate to this. What part of the word “c-i-v-i-l” in civil disobedience does not make sense?”

    BRAVO. I have stated here police your ranks or all is for nothing.

  10. basharr

    Bravo, well written and rings of reality. People would do well to heed your words as they are spot on and I believe solid advice.

  11. DukeOfUrls

    “The entire American nation…”
    I don’t think so.

  12. DukeOfUrls

    “They will meet at 5pm at Oakland Technical High, where they will be met with protestors from Occupy Oakland and other groups demanding a more sane and just allocation of the city’s resources.”

    WTF? Your own headline banner states, “Oakland Spends Millions in Attack on Occupy Protesters, Closes 5 Schools Next Day”.
    So, if Oakland had not spent ‘millions in attack’, can you folks not understand or believe that those millions might have gone to better use?
    And this BS about attack, again WTF, were you not told time after time after time the park does not allowing camping?
    You are spoiling for a confrontation and when it comes don’t be crying cuz you got hurt.
    Honestly, you folks need some organization and a solid strategy otherwise you’re really just starting to piss the general public off and lose all credibility.

  13. OnlyMe

    OPD Crowd Control Policy [PDF] is from 2005, but seems entirely safe and reasonable in theory. Trying to boil down 23 pages …
    * OPD shall proactively and repeatedly make every reasonable attempt to establish and to maintain communication and cooperation with representatives or leaders of the demonstration
    * Organized demonstrations in which some engage in coordinated, nonviolent civil disobedience should be distinguished, to the extent possible, from crowds in which substantial numbers of people are engaged in other [!] types of unlawful acts.
    * OPD shall seek to minimize the risk that force and arrests may be directed at innocent persons.
    * Verbal abuse against officers shall not constitute a reason for an arrest or for any use of force
    * Department personnel must maintain professional demeanor and remain neutral in word and
    deed despite unlawful or anti-social behavior on the part of crowd members.
    * Impulsive or independent actions by officers are to be avoided.
    * Officers in non-violent crowd situations shall not display weapons before a dispersal order is given or other enforcement action is implemented.
    * The Incident Commander and supervisors shall make every effort to ensure that the police mission is accomplished as efficiently and unobtrusively as possible with the highest regard for the human dignity and liberty of all persons and with minimal reliance on the use of physical force.
    * … employ the physical force necessary to maintain the safety of the crowd, the general public, law enforcement personnel, and emergency personnel
    * In the event of a declared unlawful assembly, it is the general policy of the OPD to use multiple simultaneous arrests to deal with a non-violent demonstration that fails to disperse and voluntarily submits to arrest as a form of political protest rather than dispersing the demonstrators by using weapons or force beyond that necessary to make the arrests.
    * Will police action likely improve the situation?
    * Will targeting specific violent or disruptive individuals for arrest be more effective or appropriate than applying control tactics to the entire crowd?
    * Are sufficient resources available to effectively manage the incident?
    * The Incident Commander shall consider and take reasonable and appropriate steps to ensure the safety of bystanders.
    * The definition of an unlawful assembly has been set forth in Penal Code Section 407 [409 ?] and interpreted by court decisions. The terms, “boisterous” and “tumultuous” … have been interpreted as “conduct that poses a clear and present danger of imminent violence”
    * Unless emergency or dangerous circumstances prevent negotiation, crowd dispersal techniques shall not be initiated until after attempts have been made through contacts with the police liaisons and demonstration or crowd event leaders to negotiate a resolution
    * Dispersal orders should not be given until officers are in position to support/direct crowd movement.
    * attempts to obtain voluntary compliance through announcements and attempts to obtain cooperation through negotiation shall both be continued
    * At any point at which a crowd is dispersing, … OPD dispersal techniques shall be suspended and the crowd shall be allowed to disperse voluntarily.
    * Persons who make it clear (e.g., by sitting down, locking arms) that they seek to be arrested shall be arrested and not subjected to other dispersal techniques, such as the use of batons or chemical agents.
    * Baton jabs should not be used indiscriminately against a crowd or group of persons but only against individuals who are physically aggressive or actively resisting arrest.
    * Officers shall not intentionally strike a person with any baton to the head, neck, throat, kidneys, spine, or groin or jab with force to the left armpit except when the person’s conduct is creating an imminent threat of serious bodily injury or death to an officer or any other person.
    * Chemical agents can produce serious injuries or even death. The elderly person or infant in the crowd or the individual with asthma or other breathing disorder may have a fatal reaction to chemical agents even when those chemical agents are used in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations and the Department’s training.
    Thus, crowd control chemical agents shall be used only if other techniques, such as encirclement and multiple simultaneous arrest or police formations, have failed or will not accomplish the policing goal as determined by the Incident Commander.
    * Members shall use the minimum amount of chemical agent necessary to obtain compliance.
    * If chemical agents are contemplated in crowd situations, OPD shall have medical personnel on site prior to their use and shall make provision for decontamination and medical screening to those persons affected by the chemical agent(s).
    * The use of hand-thrown chemical agents or pyrotechnic gas dispersal devices may present a risk of permanent loss of hearing or serious bodily injury from shrapnel. Said devices shall be deployed to explode at a safe distance from the crowd to minimize the risk of personal injury and to move the crowd in the direction that will accomplish the policing objective.
    * The use of the Stinger Grenade containing rubber pellets designed to be deployed in a non-directional non-target specific manner is also prohibited for all crowd control use.
    * “bean bags” shall not be used for crowd management, crowd control or crowd dispersal … [but] may be used against a specific individual who is engaging in conduct that poses an immediate threat of loss of life or serious bodily injury … only when other means of arrest are unsafe and when the individual can be targeted without endangering others
    * When circumstances permit, the supervisor on the scene shall make an attempt to accomplish the policing goal without the use of Direct Fired SIM as described above, and, if practical, an audible warning shall be given to the subject before deployment of the weapon.
    * Any person struck by a round shall be transported to a hospital for observation and any necessary treatment. Ambulance service, if required, shall be ordered per General Order I-4. First aid, when necessary, shall be administered per Training Bulletin III-K.
    * Members shall not discharge a Direct Fired SIM at a person’s head, neck, throat, face, left armpit, spine, kidneys, or groin unless deadly force would be justified.
    * Although dealing with passive resistance may frustrate officers, civil disobedience is usually a nonviolent means of making a political statement, and officers shall remain neutral, nonantagonistic, and professional at all times in their response.
    * The media, legal observers, crowd monitors, police liaison, and/or organizers shall never be targeted for dispersal or enforcement action because of their status.

    Pity about the practice – maybe cutbacks left them short-staffed, so they used chemical weapons instead of the personal touch ?

  14. wto99

    I have some opinions about this. As someone who has been to things like this, I have choked on tear gas, been pepper-sprayed, and seen the injuries. There’s no doubt that police come down hard in general, and a few out-of-control cops get personal. These are adrenaline-filled events where good judgement is hard to come by.

    A lot of protesters are inexpereinced, and some are just locals that jump in. There can be the fanatics, too. You get an undisciplined, mixed crowd worked up, and a bunch of people will stand their ground and even fight back when the cops crack down, even if this wasn’t their plan. It gets messy real quick. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and feel like you have to resist the police because your cause is just and they are oppressing you.

    I have to say that this is a dangerous temptation. These are the trained killers that deal with the ugliness of our society every day. Disobeying and disrespecting them can get you really hurt. I think they deserve some respect for their service, just as people, aside from all the other issues of oppression and brutality.

    I think people have to take the police seriously, both having some respect for them as people and not directing all of your anger about society at them as individuals. Also, I think some discipline and organization could be really beneficial for the radical left that makes and responds to these calls-to-action.

    People can, and do, get seriously hurt. Police accountability should be a citizen activist issue, too, because everybody is a part of the problem. People blame the cops, or the government, or corporations, or whatever slice of the world they see. We’re all part of this, and it takes more than just getting hard core and getting out in the streets to fight for what you think is right.

    What I am getting at here, is that these are very emotional and polarizing situations. There is this tendency to spin propaganda for our causes, and maybe that’s a necessary evil. I guess I would just like to see more honest discussion about the nature of protests. I think it’s disingenuine to call it a free speech issue, if it’s also a direct-action or civil disobedience issue, because I don’t think we currently live in a nation where we can’t protest.

    If the whole point is to get a general strike going, that’s a really big deal, and it can work to create change. However, if you have a few hundred or a couple thousand people, that’s not a genereal strike. That’s a tiny group out of a massive city that are making decisions that effect the whole city. I think the problem comes when a small minority of people take it upon themselves to do direct action on everyone else’s behalf. If the everyday person is not really connected to the struggle, then it’s this isolated group of people going up against the system.

    I mean, we have to be honest with ourselves about this. What do we expect to happen if we’re trying to throw a wrench in the works? The cops are going to stop you from doing it. That’s what I mean. It’s not cool to make things out as a free speech issue if they are tactics beyond just expressing yourself and rallying people to your cause.

    If you get into gray areas where there is property damage, people antagonizing the cops, trying to shut down the streets and clog things up, it’s going to get a reaction. There has to be some sort of plan, otherwise it’s just a fringe element doing things supposedly on the behalf of the masses, without the masses really being part of it.

    Perhaps it is worth the risk, worth resisting the police, worth causing a lot of expense and controversy. I’m not saying that it never is, but it certainly isn’t always the case. So, people have to think about this and analyze it. Otherwise, it’s a potentially disasterous situation. At best, you can gain a necessar tactical advantage for your movement, such as good publicity, or stopping an event like a timber sale from happening until the lawsuit can go through. At worst, you have a big bang that fizzles out, the message gets muddied, and the movement collapses.

    I’m just saying, don’t get too caught up in the enthusiasm. It’s not always about DOING SOMETHING BIG RIGHT NOW. Sometimes it’s really just a group of fringe radicals that is so caught up in the urgency of their cause, that it turns into an emotional and intellectual trip that doesn’t really accomplish anything.

    Activist groups can function like cults. So, you have to watch out and keep some perspective on things. It’s important to check your personal issues, too, because I know from experience that it’s possible to be kinda crazy and out of touch, and to seek out like-minded people.

    Where I am really going with all of this is just to say slow down, think it through, be disciplined and organized, now when to hang back. I mean, how do you know if you aren’t just feeding right into what the system wants you to do? The powers-that-be are more than happy to paint a picture of dangerous, fringe wing-nuts costing the public millions of dollars.

  15. Taschia

    Everyone please remember, peaceful protesting and demonstration. We do not fight fire with fire! Let’s not have anyone else getting hurt! Our strongest weapons are our voices, and the fact that we keep coming back!
    We’re still here!

  16. Mark V Reid

    Please sign this petition for Scott Olsen!! Goes to Heads of FBI and DOJ for the Oakland Area, pleading to investigate Oakland Police Department

  17. basharr

    What started the incident? Were people asked to leave? Was there aggression on the protesters side? Logically for every action there is a reaction. If ordered to disperse is it not your legal obligation to disperse? You see I remember back when we went into Afghanistan and Iraq and protesters rallying against war time violence use violence to try to support their cause. You cannot take steps beyond the law then cry when steps are taken to control what is obviously getting out of hand. One projectile, rock, can, plastic bottle, glass bottle is enough to trigger the reaction. Do you remember when Oakland cops killed a convicted felon who had killed his girlfriend and 4 cops? People marched against the cops in protest for the use of force. My sister was driving home from work and somebody broke her windshield and called her a white bitch during that protest. So I am obviously suspect any time I see people acting out in the name of something other than peace.

    All too often groups like this are not true, there may be a core element that is true but what surrounds is an element of thuggish mindset. Honestly look at what is going on, are citizens being intimidated, are citizens daily lives being interfered with, is the average citizen not involved in this process feeling it is safe for them to carry on their daily norm?

    This is my home town, born and raised and I am not saying to protest is wrong I am saying police your ranks and get rid of the idiots who think violence and stepping outside the law is acceptable. In my opinion this seems like a bandwagon type of thing it is happening across the country and arrests are being made because people are not living up to their civil obligation and following the laws.

  18. LN

    I’m not occupying 24/7 & wasn’t going to go today. However, when I saw what happened in Oakland yesterday, I had to go to Occupy Chicago today. We marched to the mayor’s office. I want everyone in Oakland to know that what you suffered helped strengthen the resolve of everyone watching.

    Stay strong!

  19. changeneeded

    Because I do fully support this movement, I need to say the fools who threw stuff at the cops should have been jumped and ejected by the protesters before it had to escalate to this. What part of the word “c-i-v-i-l” in civil disobedience does not make sense? This is an important movement that can create change, influence the elections, and really accomplish its mission as long as it has credibility. Throwing sh!t at the cops makes you look like angry insignificant hippy-dipshits, making yourselves criminals because you’re unemployed and bored. Pull your heads out and don’t ruin an important movement that people all over the world are coming together for…. Grow the f#@k up and Google the words ‘peaceful’ and ‘civil’ !

  20. GOP

    First of all where are your references? Don’t say personal experience because you’re not a credible source. Next I would have to say your understanding on the term “communal living” is entirely skewed, there is a difference between living in a community, where there are incentives for the work being done. Communal living is where everyone works and everyone is compensated equally, that sounds great right? Yes, it does, and if humans could do that successfully then I would condone it in a minute. The fact is humans can’t do that, We’re inherently selfish people. Are you willing to be the guy in charge of the management of the society because you’re the most qualified, and still get as much compensation as the guy cleaning the toilet? You might say yes right now but I would challenge you to sit back and really understand what that’s saying. If someone was willing to be paid equally then don’t you think that after awhile the people with a higher level of education and a higher level of qualification would stop trying so hard because they know that either way they still get the same as the guy scrubbing toilets. My next point is that yes they do endanger their own people. At these demonstrations there are almost always violent acts toward the law enforcement, or breaking some laws. When exposing your children to violence and law breaking, you’re putting them in a situation where there will be retaliation by law enforcement and undoubtedly either assault or battery directed back. If you would like references to the basis of my argument as well as the general basis for Jeffersonian philosophy and the idea behind the Federalistic government, which our nation resides under, I would suggest you read John Locke’s “The Second Treatise of Civil Government” it may be helpful for you to better understand the Political Philosophy that is the basis for much of our nations understanding of government. This is a rational and peaceful call for many of these protesters to further their own personal knowledge before blindly falling into an undoubtedly unsuccessful protest, that can only hurt yourselves.

  21. michael

    The entire American nation stands with you after the shooting of an unarmed American troop. Howard Jordan will be made to resign. Please be more peaceful than ever. You will be vindicated. You do not shoot American troops in the head. Howard Jordan has brought shame upon his force. The entire nation stands with you.

  22. Projectjulio

    Not to mention that my one so-called “violent” solution was alongside at least 4 non-violent ones. I had expected the top 1% could at least read…

  23. Projectjulio

    The key word in “throwing canisters BACK at police” is “BACK.” You cannot throw back what was not originally thrown. If you do throw back what is originally thrown, this is called retaliation, i.e., self defense. The “sit down and take-it” attitude doesn’t stop them from alienating our civil rights. Are you suggesting we no longer defend ourselves and allow the government to trample on not only our rights but also our freedoms?

    As for Mr. “GOP,” he’s either a member of the establishment behind this oppression, or he’s simply a misinformed, illogical nitwit whose conservative bias blinds him to unsupported preconceived notions he has about liberals, which to him means that they are always wrong. After that, any random set of words is used to justify this bias. Simple.

  24. gnovos

    As a violent mugger, murderer and rapist, can I just say that I am extremely pleased to see the city spending precious law enforcement resources on this, and I hope to see much, much more. Every dollar spent, every police officer being distracted, makes my life a whole lot easier. For every woman I had a chance to rape in Oakland last night, for every home I violated and robbed, for every man I assaulted laying bleeding and broken on the street corner, for all the terrible, violent crimes that I committed that could have been prevented merely by the presence of black-and-white or a cop on the beat, I am eternally grateful to the city of Oakland.

    I am the 1%.

    Much Love,

  25. Redsmom

    Writing to the Mayor seems the least that we can do. It’s so easy for me to say please don’t give up! I don’t face a police riot when I go picket – all we’re doing here in solidarity with you brave souls all over the world actually occupying parks, etc. daily. I’ve done union work with Oakland folks when I was at UC and you folks are the best!

  26. David King

    Obama Supporters Videos/ Song!
    Obama got Gadhafi, Osama & ended the Iraq war! I believe Barack Obama will continue to influence the world to work together for progress like never before. In my own way, I want to play a big part in what will be a major place in our history. People need help all around the world. There’s one song for everyone & everything! For Obama 2012, I’m inviting Occupy Wall Street & everyone in the world to be in my Obama Supporters Videos/ Song of celebrities, people of places named after Obama & Obama supporters posting a video of themselves singing the chorus of Obama For The World (world’s Obama tribute song)! For Obama’s change & America’s freedom! http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=KaAeSaj-xJc

  27. CorporatistsUseProjection

    GOP; Do your research. American public school systems used to teach Civics. The .1% knew that getting lambs to enact policies that dismantled the education system, which deprived an enormous amount of children the knowledge they would need to not be led down the path of PEE-ON economics. Why have real wages been stagnant relative to inflation for a generation? Because the .1% re-distributed the American worker’s wealth. They stole from the rest of us. We want our good paying manufacturing jobs back. We want International Trade Tariff’s leveled. We are the 99.9%. WE ARE LEGION.

  28. basharr

    Great idea Aaron be constructive instead of destructive. It bothers me that there is so charge in the crowd. People need to feel safe in their neighborhoods while people protest, they cannot feel that way if a fringe element seeks less than peaceful demonstration and I have seen very littlw talk her condemning the throwing of objects at cops. That is not how to send a message.

  29. basharr

    There is a point to be made, why is there so much talk of throwing canisters back at police, where is the peaceful protest, you are not seeing it this bad in NY and thats where it started and anybody, I mean anybody state your purpose and describe how physical conflict with authorities is truly going to accomplish your goals. It is a sad day when a group decides they are above the law, as then they become worse than what they protest against.

  30. Carl Larson

    Protesters did everything to keep it peaceful last night, and they deserve all the credit. They risked their lives to ensure that the march stayed a peaceful one, and they got tear gassed and shot in return… Shameful. Why not just turn on the sprinklers at Ogawa once an hour?

    Below is videos of protesters putting out a gasoline arson fire under vehicles by the Oakland Tribune building, an interview with the flag holding Navy vet, and footage of flash bang m80s, tear gas, and beanbag rounds.

    http://bit.ly/vAxgF2

  31. peaceful and pissed

    Don’t stop now. Bring your friends, and remain peaceful. I highly urge all those who are out there tonight, and every night, to KEEP the anarchists and looters in check. We all know that this element has a tendency to rear it’s ugly head during these types of gatherings.. so by all means – DON’T LET THEM taint our movement.

    What we want is for the Economic Bill of Rights as put forward by FDR to be put into law. http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=UwUL9tJmypI

    We want reform of Wall Street. We want not-for-profit healthcare. We want money out of government. We want Glass-Steagall back. We want the de-militarization of our police departments. We are done with business and businessmen being put in front of everyone and everything. We want a shift in the thinking of the society, away from profiteering as the pinnacle of human existence. We want an inclusive society unlike the dog-eat-dog compassionless capitalist desert we live in now.

    Capitalism is destroying itself as we speak. It is a doomed ideology. You cannot expect a society to last when the very foundation, the very engine that drives it is this notion of individual greed. That can never work as a template for society. Greed is cunning and it has pervaded every aspect of our lives. Everything is about profit today. People don’t lift a finger unless some bills are being peeled back. It’s disgusting. It’s no way for humans to be treating each other, and it certainly isnt the best we can do as human beings.

    Everyone please read this article, especially you ‘GOP’. Don’t skim it, ‘GOP’. READ IT. http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/occupy-oakland-6530274#ixzz1bvePzuKn

  32. GOP

    Please forgive my spelling error, a peaceful protest is one thing. It is an inherent right of human beings to revolt against a totalitarian government. We live in a Representative Republic where the people have the means and rights to peacefully and democratically replace corrupt government officials. While clinics, school, are essential and should have some government funding (post offices can easily be privatized without a negative effect of society, we can see this by how private postal services are more efficient and economical then the federally funded one. Privatizing agencies like this decrease taxes, and provide more jobs and competition in the market) they by no means provide a means for the democratic process. The democratic process lies with the public, they abilities lie with their own ability to educate themselves in politics and policies of the candidates elected by their respective party members. Furthermore what public high school have you heard of that actually educates its students in political policy? There still should be federal funding for some government agencies and there should be some limited socializing such as general eduction, roads, law enforcement, sewers, ect. At some point, however, there has to be a limit. Charity is not something that should be mandated by law. Also, getting back to my retort, cutting funding to those social programs does nothing to limit citizens from engaging in the democratic process. Everyone has the opportunity to vote. Maybe instead of camping out in a park for weeks or spending days marching, you should gather more citizens to register to vote (since only about half the eligible population is registered), and convince them to actually vote (since only about half of that population turns out on poling day). My suggestion is to make a productive use of your time if you’re not satisfied with our government currently. Maybe if you really are the “99%” then one of you who can articulate your goals and plans of action well enough should run for office, because with 99% of the population behind him, it would surely be a landslide victory for your cause.

  33. JordanBuck

    Has anyone tried calling Jean Quan’s office? You have to listen to a 5 minute recording saying two brief messages in about ten languages. Discouraging, and irritating, but I stayed on the line, only to discover the voicemail box is full. I was born in the city of Oakland and I am ashamed of the actions taken by the police against peaceful, unarmed peaceful protestors.

  34. Eric

    If you really want change and are not just a bunch of lazy squeaky wheel media hoers grasping for attention then you should do the following
    Mad about Oscar Grant shooting- Recall the Bart board now. They allowed the police chief to retire and paid a fat golden parachute to the last manager who hired the dumb cops that shot Mr. Grant.
    Mad about Oakland school closings- Recall the Oakland school board and volunteer at Oakland schools
    Mad about the excessive amount of money wasted on police, stop the violent protests. Unfortunately there are too many Anarchist/thugs in Oakland that hijack peaceful protests and turn them violent. I work at 14th and broadway. We have protest almost daily 99% of them peaceful, 1% violent. The small business in Oakland take the brunt of these protests. Broken windows, overturned dumpsters, and graffiti come from violent protestors. I believe strongly int the right to free speech. But destruction of personal property, vandalism and destruction are not acceptable. I believe Wall Street is corrupt but your tactics are not acceptable and will never lead to change. If you really want change use the ballot box, remember we live in a democracy use the right to vote.

  35. basharr

    The Tea Party did not throw bottles and crap at police, whether or not anybody cares for your message to be justified you all need to act withing the boundaries of the law. Anything less than that is just a bunch of people looking for trouble. You might not like hearing this but reality is a bitch. You all have to make a choice to be civil or act like animals. If you act like animals you are bound for disgrace and most likely more trouble. You want to talk about the police and how bad they are but when someone robs your store, mugs your wife, rips off your car, or kills a family member, who is it that you call? I understand the protest aspect but not if you cannot act within the laws of this city, state and country. People fought and died for the freedoms that we have and when you cannot use those freedoms in a respectable and positive way then you all are crapping on the people who gave all so you had rights and freedoms.

  36. andr077

    Using GOP as your username labels you as an ineffective troll who is so insecure, he wants to be caught. Don’t feed this douche with your logical responses.

  37. 15M Granada

    “communal living, a practice proven to damage society and endanger people.”

    If you’re going to make demogagic statements, please have the common decency to provide references to such proof. From personal experience and extensive study (and plain simple common sense) I can tell you that communal living is, in fact, essential to human survival. Had homo sapiens NOT developed the ability to live in a community, we would never have evolved to the point we are at now.

    “These demonstrations endanger their own people”
    Well that’s just stupid. I don’t see demonstrators firing rubber bullets and throwing tear-gas cannisters at themselves!!

    And on a final note… we don’t need your condonement or approval. I suppose you would rather condone police attacking peaceful demonstrators… I guess that’s what gets you off.

  38. ryans

    For now share the contact info for city and state officials in the comment below from Occupy Oakland. In the coming days we hope to have a way to accept financial contributions.

  39. ryans

    The drugs and violence you mention are existing problems in the Oakland community that we sought to address, and to which the city has never offered acceptable solutions (incarceration is not the answer to health problems).

    I can’t give you a ligament reason, but I can give you a legitimate one: Corporate profits are at a record high at the same time our social programs are being cut; Clinics, schools, post offices, the institutional foundation upon which a citizenry can engage in the democratic process, is all being dismantled because “we don’t have enough money”. The reality is that we have more real wealth in resources and technology than ever before, but its all concentrated into the hands of the 1%.

    Our politicians are bought. When you tea-partiers went out and protested big government, you were in essence protesting the same thing: an institution not accountable to the people of the United States. This is the reason we do not ask our politicians for answers anymore. We are creating the answers among ourselves. I encourage you to step back and think more on this, and then to join us.

  40. danimal

    I am so sorry to see this. Don’t really know what else to say. At least the world is watching, and the world is disgusted. I am a big proponent of appealing to the police to recognize our common interests, but shit like this makes reconciliation a lot more challenging. I have a blog, http://www.occupy-wallstreet.com/ and have had some inquiries from people asking me how they can show support, make a donation. I’d like to provide information about how to support Occupy Oakland. Please let me know what I should put on the blog.
    Thanks for what you are doing! Keep fighting with Love!

  41. GOP

    Are you honestly suggesting that people should throw tear gas back at police? You’re claiming this to be a non-violent protest, yet you give police an incentive to use force to protect themselves and the civilized and rational public, and then telling people to further attack the law enforcement? If you truly believe this is the answer to your malcontent, then this is indefinitely an unorganized, uneducated, and undoubtedly unsuccessful protest, that’s only going to end up hurting you all more. Heed my warning otherwise you’ll only further your economic woes. This movement is indicative of the hippy movement (Which also was based in the bay area). That movement, as history showed us, was completely unsuccessful and unwarranted.

  42. GOP

    Tea party demonstrations broke no laws, they did not endanger their own participants, they protest within their 1st amendment rights. These demonstrations endanger their own people, leave children and elderly susceptible to drugs and violence. Tea party demonstrations did not involve communal living, a practice proven to damage society and endanger people. I would like for someone to give a ligament reason behind these protests and then propose an attainable cause of action before I personally can condone these protests, furthermore if an attainable cause to action is proposed, I would like to see a rational protest and proposal to the peoples elected officials rather then the methods used currently. If economic inequality is your folly, then explain how a proposed communal living environment would better your economic situation.

  43. educate4life

    MARCH AT 3PM FROM 14TH AND BROADWAY TO MOSSWOOD
    RALLY AND MARCH AT 4PM AT MOSSWOOD TO OAK TECH

    Please don’t forget that we are MARCHING AT 3PM to the school board meeting from 14th and Broadway (13th and Broadway if we can’t get any closer) to Mosswood Park where we will meet the rally of parents, students, and teachers. Then at 4PM we will march to the Board Meeting at Oak Tech. Crucial to supporting the schools will be this march because it will set the tone and energy level to our resistance to the closures. And, then of course, you can always make it back to downtown by 6.

  44. Projectjulio

    EVERY PROTESTER needs to bring a 1 gallon bucket (without a spout) along with a box of baking soda to every protest. Upon encountering a tear-gas grenade, simply place the bucket over the canister and pour the baking soda around the rim of the bucket. Then sit down. Any gas that escapes will be neutralized by the baking soda, and sitting will increase the integrity of the seal.

  45. Projectjulio

    Did you see “TEA PARTY” rallies getting tear-gassed? Did the “TEA PARTY” get evicted from their “protests?” Because the “Tea Party” represents the top 1%, it was allowed to continue unimpeded. But the second a liberal-minded cause starts to gather public support, the full force of the police, dogs of the 1%, is brought out upon them. This is a clear, indefensible violation of our 1st amendment right to public protest.

  46. Projectjulio

    Tear gas being used on children and the elderly…they obviously don’t care about the 99%. This is made perfectly clear by these brutal crackdowns. If you are at the protest, here is how to throw a tear-gas back at the police (or away from the crowd) to protect civilians without getting yourself injured: The Ove-Glove http://tinyurl.com/5u9z638 . Don’t forget a cheap $15 gas mask tinyurl.com/65mwmbd

    You need hand protection because tear-gas canisters are very hot and will burn you if you don’t protect your hands. This “ove-glove” allows you to grasp a canister with 5 fingers and ensure no innocent bystanders are injured.

  47. Occupy Oakland

    One of the most helpful things you can do if you are too far to join us in the streets is contact city and state officials to condemn the violence of police against peaceful demonstrators.

    Mayor Jean Quan 1-510-238-3141 officeofthemayor@oaklandnet.com
    City Administrator Deanna Santana 1-510-238-3301, cityadministrator@oaklandnet.com
    City Council reception 1-510-238-3266
    Governor Jerry Brown 926-445-2841
    House Representative Barbara Lee 510-763-0370

    Full list can be found here: http://www2.oaklandnet.com/n/DOWD003833

  48. Aaron Parr

    I think the protest at Oakland Tech is a very good idea. I think the best way to achieve it would be to publicly offer free tutoring services to students. And make it clear that Occupy is doing so to pick up the slack where the school district has failed.

    This is not a conflict however between funding for police versus education. This is a conflict over resources between the 1% and the 99%. All local services should be adequately funded.

    Occupy Oakland however could start filling in the gaps in public service created by local and state government budget deficits. I think that would be a very powerful message.