Sunday, January 29, 2012

What really happened at Occupy Oakland on Saturday January 28 - Read my firsthand account, not the news. Please Spread.

by baked420

For the internet, here's a first-hand account of Occupy Oakland on 1/28/2012, because the news never tells the full story. I'll tell you about the street battle, the 300+ arrests, the vandalism, the flag burning, all in the context of my experience today. This is deeper than the headlines. No major news source can do that for you.
The stated goal for the day was to "move-in" to a large, abandoned, building to turn it into a social and political center. It is a long vacant convention center - the only people ever near there are the homeless who use the space outside the building as a bed. The building occupation also draws attention to the large number of abandoned and unused buildings in Oakland. The day started with a rally and a march to the proposed building. The police knew which building was the target, surrounded it, and used highly mobile units to try and divert the protest. After avoiding police lines, the group made it to one side of the building. Now, this is a very large building, and we were on a road with construction fences on both sides, and a large ditch separating us from the cops. The police fired smoke grenades into the crowd as the group neared a small path around the ditch, towards the building. They declared an unlawful assembly, and this is when the crowd broke down the construction fence. A few people broke fences to escape the situation, others because they were pissed. A couple more fences were taken down then necessary, but no valuable equipment was destroyed. They only things broken were fences.
The crowd decided to continue moving, and walked up the block to a more regular street. We decided to turn left up the street, and a police line formed to stop the march. They again declared an unlawful assembly. The protesters challenged the line, marching towards the police with our own shields in front. The shields, some small and black and a few large metal sheets. The police fired tear-gas as the group approached, and shot less-than-lethal rounds at the crowd. The protesters returned one volley of firecrackers, small projectiles, and funny things like balloons. A very weak attack, 3 officers may have been hit by something but none of them got injured. Tear gas forced many people back. The protesters quickly regrouped, and pressed the line again. This time the police opened fire with flash-grenades, tear gas, paint-filled beanbag shotguns, and rubber bullets. 
After the police fired heavily on the protesters, they pushed their line forward and made a few arrests. The protesters regrouped down the block and began to march the other way (followed by police), back to Oscar Grant Plaza.
All of this occurred during the day, but it was that street battle that set the tone for the police response later in the evening. After taking a break in Oscar Grant Plaza, feeding everyone and resting, the group headed out for their evening march. Around 5pm, the group took to the street at 14th and Broadway and began a First-amendment sanctioned march around the city. The police response was very aggressive.
About 15 minutes into the march, the police attempted to kettle the protesters. This march was entirely non-violent; nobody threw shit at the cops and an unlawful assembly was never declared. . This is a very important detail. The march was 1000+ strong, conservatively. The police were very mobile, using 25+ rented 10seater vans to bring the 'troops' to the march.
For their first attempt at a kettle, the cops charged the group with police lines from the front and back. They ran towards us aggressively. Us being 1000+ peaceful marching protesters. The group was forced to move up a side street. The police moved quickly to surround the entire area; they formed a line on every street that the side street connected to. Police state status: very efficient. They kettled almost the entire protest in the park near the Fox theater. AFTERWARDS, as in after they surrounded everyone, they declared it to be an unlawful assembly BUT OFFERED NO EXIT ROUTE. Gas was used, could of been tear or smoke gas. 
The crowd then broke down a fence that was on one side of the kettle, and 1000 people ran across a field escaping a police kettle and embarrassing the entire police force. It was literally a massive jailbreak from a kettle. The group re-took
Telegraph ave. and left the police way behind.
At this point, I was on edge because I knew the police were not fucking around tonight. Because of the incident earlier in the day, I realized they were effectively treating the peaceful march as a riot. There was not rioting, or intentions to riot, just dancing, optimism, hope, and walking. But clearly the police thought differently, and I knew they would try to trap us again without warning. From the moment I saw riot police running towards are march from both directions, I knew the constitution would not apply in Oakland tonight. The police made that very clear. My friends thought differently, thinking that they would not be arrested for marching. They are currently in jail.
The second, and successful, kettle occurred as the protest was headed back up Broadway, at Broadway and 24th. Again, the police appeared quickly in front of the crowd, as well as a line behind the crowd. This time there was no side street. A few people attempted to escape into the YMCA; some mis-infonformed news reports claim that the YMCA got 'occupied'. Around 300 people were trapped, mostly young people. At this point I had fallen behind the line of riot police in back of the crowd, and when the kettle was sprung I was on the other side of the police line. I have a policy of avoiding arrest, but I feel like I've been striped of some dignity. I've seen some shit go down in oaktown, but I've always avoided arrest because it was easy. Most mass arrests occur when people choose to break the law (like occupying Bank of America in downtown SF and pitching a tent to send a statement to UC Regent Monica Lozano on BofA's board - respect). At 'unlawfully assemblies', people are usually extracted by a quick attack of 5+ cops, and their often 'targets' (previously-identified and profiled protesters). If the crowd is too large, they use tear-gas.
Tonight was different. When I fell behind the group, I knew they were going to arrest a very large number of peaceful protesters without declaring an unlawful assembly at the location. And then they did. I thought this shit was reserved for G20's and WTO meetings. I felt shame for being intimidated away from my rights. 'Unlawful assemblies' feel like a boot stomp on the first amendment, but this was like them wiping their ass with the constitution and force feeding it to me.
300+ were arrested, corralled below the YMCA @ 23rd and Broadway. The only announcement that was made was one I've never heard before:
"You are under arrest. Submit to your arrest."
The 300 protesters were then arrested, one by one. They were ziptied and sat in rows while they waited to be processed. OPD set up an entire processing station behind police lines, where they searched and identified every protester. They were slowly loaded onto buses, including local public AC transit buses. This took about 4 or 5 hours.
Outside the police lines, things were still happening. A group that escaped the trap decided to head back to Oscar Grant Plaza. I do not know how, but they opened the front door to city hall and occupied the building. Opened, as in no window smashing. The move was not meant to be an occupation but more of a show of solidarity to the 300 arrested protesters down the street. When all the people being arrested heard the news, they let out a big cheer...




..At this point I ran to Oscar Grant Plaza. When I arrived there were only 8 riot cops guarding the open front door, but more arrived very quickly. No one was inside the building anymore, but many had gathered in the Plaza. Someone burned an American Flag in front of city hall. I've seen the same guy do it before; frankly he's weird and it's kind of his thing.
One thing to note is the police arrested to wrong part of the protest. Most people arrested were young peaceful types. Aggressive protesters, and anyone with a record, are usually very good at avoiding arrest. Point being, back at the plaza opportunists began their work. I saw some young 'jugalos' spray-painting a wall with "jugalos for life" shit and then take photos next to it. They were just young and stupid kids; some good protesters cleaned it up later in the night. Some CBS and FOX news crews forced to leave the scene, with people spanking their van. They had already gotten the footage of someone burning an American Flag in front of city hall, so their work was done. The crowd was angry about what happened, and milling around the plaza and downtown area. At one point, the first of the 9 busloads of protesters drove past 14th and Broadway. People cheered for the ones inside, and chased it down, slamming on the sides of the bus. None of the other buses came past the plaza. There is about 30 police in the immediate area, 20 in front of city hall and 10 near 14th and broadway. Clearly they were stretched thin, and did not expect the city hall incident. Mutual aid been called it; I saw cops from Oakland, Alameda County Sheriff, Pleasanton, and Berkeley.
I walked back down to the 300 arrests in progress to try and get some information or spot my friends, but all I could do was wait and watch from behind the police line. My phone died. Not much happened, a lot of waiting and talking with people who also had friends on the other side. People included one French women who talked about how in France this would never be tolerated, and a teacher of one of Oakland's 10 schools being closed who was out on his birthday 'for the kids'. Eventually, I decided I needed to charge my phone, get on the internet, and figure out where and when my friends will be released. Siting down on BART was great after a long day of walking.
I got home and viewed OakfoSho and PunkboyinSf on Ustream to stay posted. OakFoSho filmed the entire arrest from above, I was able to look for my friends from his stream. All props to that guy. I saw that with the new development at Oscar Grant Plaza, they had to call in mutual aid from San Francisco, Marin, and San Mateo. They declared the 14th and Broadway an unlawful assembly and slowly dispersed the dwindling crowd. No tear gas this time!
Now that this incident is on-record, I'm gonna get a little sleep, then go pick up my friends from jail.
If you only remember one detail be it this: Tonight's mass arrest occurred without a dispersal order. No law was broken. The only order given was: "You are under arrest. Submit to your arrest." 300 peaceful protesters walking down a street were trapped and arrested unlawfully.
A note about police militarization: I saw some big guns and scary gear tonight. Alameda County Sheriff seems to have an endless budget for that shit. But tonight I saw something much scarier, that I've never seen before. First, I saw that the police have a printed profile books of protesters. I saw a cop flipping through pictures with descriptions, talking about who on their list they've seen today. When resting in Oscar Grant Plaza, a cop was filming the plaza from a rooftop in an adjacent building. They're always filming, some have cameras on their bodies now, but this was clear spying and sophisticated intelligence gathering and analysis. Second, a very large tank on wheels, with a water cannon on top, rolled on scene. Someone said it was called a "grizzly", but I can't find a photo anywhere. help? It was massive, and I stood right next to it before they brought it behind police lines. It was a hardcore, modern urban tank. The police are funded and prepared to use a water cannon on protesters, if need be. Know that.
The thing about Occupy, and especially Occupy Oakland, is it refuses to exclude. We are the 99%, and we mean it. The homeless and disenfranchised were welcome in the camp from day 1. The crime rate in Downtown Oakland went down, and some people finally had a safe place to sleep. Idealistic youth, google techies, students, teachers, parents, children, poor, homeless, workers, all coming together. It rekindled hope for a lot of people. Occupy changed the conversation. The idea is more important than any one protest. An idea cannot be stopped. It is no longer about occupations; instead, it's about bringing people together. The 99%, all with their own problems and concerns, have brought their collective attention to the root of the forces preventing them from making a better world.
A lot of the people arrested today were my peers...a lot of young people and students. For us, the occupy movement can't be diminished or co-opted...it's bigger than occupy. I will seek the changes I marched for tonight until I win or die. It is the task of my generation, worldwide, to return power to the people. Governments around the world are quickly realizing that our generation will not back down. This is bigger than 'occupy', this is bigger than one country, one problem, or one protest. The people want their world back. We are fighting for our future, and we are winning.
Edit: Forgot to add this context - The Oakland PD will soon be taken over by the Feds because of their poor conduct and inability to change: http://www.baycitizen.org/policing/story/judge-strips-power-oakland-police/

165 comments:

  1. Thanks, Boogie Man. I was there, and everything you say is the truth. Period.

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  2. the tank rolling down Broadway..

    http://youtu.be/0-cFRK3wTqk

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  3. Thanks for your POV. I watched on livestream Solidarity from Hartford, Ct

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    1. why solidarity with this group???? If you care at all about decent citizens here who want to join an occupy movement and be represented by an occupy movement that really represents them you would not say that. Stop encouraging a group that is not even made up of locals anymore! We need to oust this particular group and start all over.

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    2. It doesn't matter what group you have, elements of anarchist and communist wannabes will always try to join and hijack such a movement. And if not, there's always plenty of police infiltrators and provocateurs that will. Have you learned nothing?

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  4. Wow. Thanks for posting this. It gave me a lot of clarity about what happened. I know it's never like the media makes it to be.....:)

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  5. Thanks for the account. I can't even watch the "news" anymore so these blogs are invaluable.

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  6. I couldn't support the OWS movement more; and I couldn't care less about this crap. Sorry. I know there are plenty of well-intentioned folks involved in these actions, but as someone who is in downtown Oakland nearly every day, what I see now is essentially a pissing match between a relatively small group of activists and the OPD. It's a waste of resources, and a distraction from an enormous problem that's deeply rooted in our society as a whole. The idea that the OPD is somehow representative of the 1%, or the man, or whatever, is childish and ignorant.

    Moreover, most of the protestors are not residents of the downtown Oakland area. Those of us who have lived or worked here for years have seen enough to know that this isn't a place where the police can allow potentially violent crowds to run freely (reality check: throwing firecrackers at cops is ALWAYS going to result in a pretty intense response.) I know the majority of the protesters are peaceful, but the fact remains that there are serious criminals in that area who will see chaos as an opportunity to do real harm.

    OWS is too important to be bogged down in petty fights with irrelevant local law enforcement. Let's find a way to take it to the real enemy.

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    1. Agree so strongly with this.

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    2. So do something about it, for crying out loud!

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    3. What bullshit. The injustices and inequalities of our era would be impossible without the police. Don't sell out those trying to make a better world despite their repression. The "serious criminals" are the police, not the people who defend themselves from them.

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    4. You are so misinformed I believe you are a troll. No one who knew the first thing about the OPD or their tactics would say that. Furthermore when I went to the protest last year someone threw a rock through a BofA window. Two officers sat by that window for the rest of the night. How many rape victims in Oakland get that treatment? Two cops to hold their hand all night? None? Exactly.

      Childish? I pray to your gods you are never being smacked in the legs by 6 officers while they scream, "stop resisting" at your unconscious body. When you are AWAKENED by a blow to the head after the previous one knocked you unconscious. I hope you never sob while an officer laughs and bends your arm behind your head while you offer no resistance to him and his six friends.

      Furthermore how are they NOT an extension of the rule of the 1%? Do you think BofA brass is going to beat protestors for a broken window. I have worked in criminal law for 10 years. Literally everything you said is wrong.

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  7. Thanks for the report.

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    1. why do you wish to be "solid" with thugs?

      support OWS, but NOT Occupy Oakland! Force OO to change so that those of us in Oakland can have a peaceful movement.

      Show US solidarity not the thugs in OO right now.

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    2. It's up to YOU to force a change to OO, not a Swedish guy who sits half way across the planet. YOU have to engage with the movement and throw out the thugs.

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  9. Thank you for sharing. The only "news" we can trust is that from people like you on the ground. Hope and aloha from Honolulu.

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  10. I'm with Jeff on this. The movement has already gained people's attention. get out of the streets and into a think-tank if you want to make any real progress.

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    1. Yeah, nothing like a think tank for progress. I mean look at the 60's and 70's pretty much all think tank based action.

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  11. True about the think tank - marketing is everything. Come up with clever messaging. That is what really grabs peoples attention. If the facts bring reported are true about crime rates have gone down in the area, that should be broadcast everywhere. The MSM aren't needed any longer, and have already proven their irrelevancy. Occupy Planet Earth.

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  12. Thanks for posting this, I didn't realize how truly delusional you occupies really are. You have no regard for the residents of this city. Your group of spoiled rich kids, anarchists and local bums has picked the most ridiculous place to have these kinds of marches. Don't know if you know anything about this city but it is one of the most left leaning cities in the country. Not to mention we are broke and can not fix any of your issues of economic inequality. If you really want to make a difference, go to DC where in case you didn't know, all the laws are made. But thanks anyways for costing us millions of dollars and ruining local business, I'm sure they are with your cause now

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    1. "costing us millions of dollars and ruining local business"? Are you talking about Occupy or about the as-yet unaccountable swine that 'sold' this financial bubble and then bet against it? It would take more than a thousand protests to do the damage those SOB's did and yet everyone seems ready to give them a pass. Know the real enemy.

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    2. *you're. As in you're an idiot who lacks any real knowledge of Oakland Finances or how a participatory democracy works.

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  13. OO has been marginalizing Oakland residents since they decided not to adopt principles of non-violence, and went further to boo those proponents off the stage at a General Assembly. They have derided those who wish to see a nonviolent position adopted as "Peace Police". converseley, the anarchist contingent got their feelings hurt by people who disagreed with their "diversity of tactics" position and threatenened to leave and OO bent over backwards to make sure they had a voice and felt welcomed.

    OO has ostracized people who I would characterize as more mature, rational and who understand that vandalism and destruction hurt the cause (not just of OO but OWS and all the other occupy movements).

    Additionally the entire focus now is on combatting OPD. Internally they get constantly bogged down on ridiculous PC discussions of race, gender, and ethnicity. (These discussions start out as attempts to be intellectual/philsophical and then quickly devolve into who has the biggest victimhood/chip on their shoulder.)

    Let OO be the cautionary tale for the rest of the movement on what NOT to do:
    - marginalize the voices that actually more closely represent the 99%
    - destroy your own city in the name of lashing out at the 1%.... I mean there is NO reason for vandalism, it accomplishes ONLY pissing people off
    - focus your entire attention on "the pigs" - because that goes over so well with regular folks.
    - fight amongst each other over perceived differences because you have NO UNIFIED goal holding you together.

    A perfect storm for an organizational disaster and failure of a social movement.

    And while I think OPD is a hot mess of overreactionary thugs and corruption, this does not excuse OO for being the very agents of their own demise.

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    1. "More closely represent the 99%" What a joke... as if the whole 99% could find its representation in the most perfectly broke, perfectly marginalized, perfectly underprivileged person... also, every "regular folk" I know hates the cops too.

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  14. @rachel and jeff - the time for sitting on your arses and talking was over many years ago - trouble is people are only starting to realise that now.

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  15. It is insane to have millions of empty homes and millions of people. Nothing but fences and anda flag got destroyed. I can't think if a better way to draw attention to this. Can you?

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    1. Whose attention? Watch the reactions of an array of other people, who weren't there. And be sure to check people who are not already among circles of the involved or close sympathizers.

      Watch carefully. How is their attention actually affected? Like many reactions mixed in these Comments, for instance.

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    2. Actually, they trashed the lobby of the city hall, including destroying children's artwork, and burned American flags that they stole from said lobby. PR coup, if I ever saw one. It is not cheap for a city on the verge of bankruptcy to host these events,services are going to be cut and worse. The people that will suffer the most aren't represented at oo, and that isn't what these demos are about anyway. oo has one of these riots every Saturday - they call it the Fuck the police march. They aren't interested in people that are losing their homes, and banished that contingent long ago.

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  16. really disappointed to hear that Occupy protesters threw fireworks at the police; that's not what we're about. That kind of action makes the police response - no matter how illegal, over-the-top, unwarranted - seem more "understandable and acceptable" to those who criticize us. I understand the anger - believe me - but until Occupiers quit doing this kind of idiotic crap, we're going to continue to be marginalized.
    What part of non-violent is hard to understand?

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    1. Really, that's not what "we're" about? Who is this we? Why do you feel the need to make anyone who uses violence part of some "other"? How about next time you stick with, that's not what "I'm" about instead of trying to speak for the whole movement, 'kay? 'Kay.

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    2. When they shoot you with tear gas and flash-bang people attempting to help a wounded Marine and you take offense to the firecrackers? Don't step on any Nazi toes on your way to the camps. That would be violent.

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    3. Even the protestors at the Nov. 2nd action admit they were throwing bottles at cops before Scott got hurt. A woman was on Lawrence O'Donnell's show the very next night proudly stating that fact. And she was one of the people to help Scott Olsen so she was right there in the thick of it. It's all about provoking a reaction and then crying about it later. That is NOT to excuse OPD but as far as I'm concerned neither have clean hands.

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  17. @Daniel - that's the thing, we're dealing with idiots in OO, have been for a long time.

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  18. Agree or disagree with Occupy.......Americans have the right to march in protest. The corporate-owned media NEVER puts out the plain truth; they report what the police say verbatim. Protest in America is dying before our eyes, and journalism, *real* journalism, died decades ago.

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  19. I agree! I live in San Francisco and OWS had me so inspired and impressed due to the intelligent, accepting and non-violent way they behaved. Then good old Oak town gets into it and it turns into embarrassing violence and stupidity. Use your brains please! You are making us look really ignorant like thugs.

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  20. a poster above asks: What part of non-violent is hard to understand?

    The fact is OO has completely shunned taking a nonviolent position. And they have completely ostracized who sought this. This is the culture of OO, which hurts all the other Occupy movements. And it will be the reason this particular movement will never be successful.

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    1. no this isn't true. do you not see the violence that police use against peaceful protesters? are you serious that throwing a firecracker embarrasses? what about that 'urban tank' brought in for people trying exercise their rights guaranteed by the constitution? THAT'S embarrassing.

      ALSO. gtfo. the language surrounding non-violence is super RACIST! i mean 'thugs'? we look like 'thugs' for throwing firecrackers and other things? the police are the REAL thugs in the true sense of the word---the meaning the word is suppose to evoke in our minds. what kind of person do you think of when you think of thug?

      the police have used SO MUCH violence throughout the united states history against people of color. come on now. this is oakland. shut up. don't tell people not to defend themselves, ourselves, from police brutality. self-defense from unlawful, unwarranted violence against your own body should be a right!!!! jesus christ! occupy your own prejudices for once.

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    2. Actually, thugs is pretty generic, it's only a dog whistle for racists. Since this isn't free republic, it isn't what I'd assume the speaker meant by that. OO is mostly white anyway, though you might want to read Timothy Fong's essay about race at oo on the official oo website..

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  21. To clarify, Oak PD are ignorant thugs! Have been for long time, they lie, steal, beat people, plant drugs, everything that San Francisco PD does but Oakland PD is too stupid to keep from getting caught!

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    1. Then it should be fairly easy to claim the high road, right?

      So why then is it so damned hard for OO to do that? Because they like smashing shit. Period.

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    2. Both sides in Oakland are just Oaktown Gangsta's who act like they think they are in some stupid rap video.

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    3. i'm SO SICK of all these white people (who aren't with it) and if not just corporateized fascist modes of thinking! self-defense should be a right! are you kidding me? non-violence is not going to CHANGE ANYTHING!!! look at the US history!! after the civil rights movements, gay and lesbian liberation, chicano movements, STILL the structure is in place. what do you think will actually TAKE to change it? not sitting around waiting for the police and government to change themselves? NO!!!!! wake up 'peaceful' protesters. WAKE THE FUCK UP.

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    4. wow. if you are the future of OO, then it's not going to go anywhere. so disappointing. have you ever heard of king? gandhi? mandela? non-violent resistance works. (and by the way - not a white person amongst those three. and, i am also not white, and i support non-violence.) violent action is a quick and easy solution that, if it ever "works", has results that only last for a short amount of time.

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    5. ever hear how badly gandhi treated the muslims? or how king's resistance probably wouldnt have been possible but for the folks who WERE willing to defend those ideas with force? Dont rewrite history simply so that you can support your agenda--it makes you look like an asshole. also, its dishonest.

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    6. Every protester(or person) in this country should read Ward Churchills essay/book pacifism as pathology it really really makes a lot of sense...sadly people need to realize if you are being attacked you really have a right/need to defend your self. Jews walked Jews into gas chambers just so they could live a few extra weeks. Fight back

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  22. Oakland refusing to be nonviolent will be the reason they go down in flames. It's mostly out of towners showing up now for all these actions. That says alot. I know of so many people who left months ago because of the anarchist takeover. I am sad when I think of all the people here who are broken-hearted over what this has become and the lost opportunity...

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    1. It was never a lost opportunity. You let it slip away. Those are not anarchists, they're people who have no clue what anarchism is. All those broken-hearted people should kick the shit out of those punksters. But I guess that's against your non-violence policy? Well, too bad for Occupy.

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    2. You know, it was never the intention or expectation of the people who started the whole Occupy Wall Street thing that it should become a long term demonstration, or political party. It was meant to bring immediate visibility to the problem, and to start people talking and organizing. I'm pretty pissed about what's happening here, but it's probably time for people to stop paying attention to the OOGA, and start organizing amongst themselves, since OO is trying to pull a WBC anyway at this point.

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  23. As a Libertarian/Minarchist, I have always stood in solidarity w/ the occupy movement in that they have the right to a redress of grievances as well as the right to PEACEFUL assembly and NON VIOLENT protest. Occupy Oakland is NOT a peaceful movement!
    Where in GOD'S NAME do you people think that you have the RIGHT to THEFT OF PRIVATE PROPERTY AND VANDALISM?
    The blogger here, just lateedaahhhs about how they are going to OVERTAKE private property, as if its THEIRS!!!!

    Who OWNS the buildings that you have DESTROYED and sought to STEAL?
    I absolutely do not agree w/ them that theft of property be it by THE STATE or A GROUP OF OCCUPIERS is lawful.

    The problem goes MUCH deeper w/in our society as mentioned above, and it says A LOT when you have a group of THEIVES that think they are ENTITLED to other people's PROPERTY.

    Just look at these "peaceful protesters" who have watched the movie "300" one too many times and pelt things at the police...
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFaviIoy4rg

    City Hall is in shambles and it will be the taxpaying citizens (the 100%) paying the price. I hope that Oakland deals w/ these thugs b/c it will be these THUGS that bring in the Feds ... problem, reaction, solution...

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    1. What are you talking about? They sought to occupy a vacant publicly owned building. That is not "PRIVATE PROPERTY" - it's public property, so the answer to who "OWNS" it is the people!! You cannot steal something that you already own. Make unauthorized use of, sure. That is the whole point - that's what civil disobedience is about, breaking a law or disregarding a legal process in order to make your point. You don't ask permission, as it isn't disobedience if you have permission. Simple concept.

      And what buildings exactly have been "DESTROYED", as you claim? Um, none. Also, you state that you don't agree with them that "theft" is lawful. No Occupiers argued that what they were doing was lawful. Again, see the definition of civil disobedience. You are talking nonsense.

      And by the way, breaking the law does not mean you are not peaceful. MLK and Ghandi did not follow the law. They broke the law because it was unjust. Did Rosa Parks protest by sitting in the BACK of the bus, as the law required? No. Duh.

      The ones who broke the law here were the police, and when you are outrageously met with police violence, some people get mad about it and might throw harmless objects, like above-mentioned balloons or plastic water bottles. For police who are armored from head to toe with helmets and face shields, actual injury from such symbolic, helpless actions are near impossible, so just get over it. I don't think firecrackers are a good idea, go ahead and take issue with that if you want, but don't paint the whole movement as thugs.

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    2. Like the French lady mentiones said, in France this would never be tolerated. In France there would be tens of thousands of protesters, the police would tolarate a heck lot flying objects and not be using that as an excuse to go havoc, and if the police would get too violent, the protesters would march all over them. There are huge demos on more or less regular basis here in Europe, may day is a typical occation many places. And strikes that sometimes brings entire countries to halt for weeks. And we have brick and cobble clad streets in the cities still, for a reason, insurance. So from our point of view... a few hippies fighting a bunch of wuss police forces, in a country that's through and through corrupted, to the point where corruption is the political system.

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  24. Hey dipshit:

    If a huge crowd marches with the stated intent to break into, vandalize, trespass on a building (that it is uninhabited is irrelevant), that is not "protected speech". You are criminals and I hope they lock up as many of you as possible and throw away the key.

    You NEED the police to protect you from people like me you little bitch.

    Oak Small Biz Guy

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    1. no, people like you need us to protect you from yourself. your ignorance is sad, your need to bully a sign of your own inherent weakness and insecurity

      Delete
    2. You are not a small business owner I'll bet one thousand dollars. My email is attached Come see me bitch. I am not afraid of the police I have never called them. They have never protected my property or my freedom. I have kicked the shit out of a lot of bullies in my day so there's that. So here you are. The question is will you do anything or just bitch out?

      Delete
  25. I only believe what Fox News tells me to believe ....

    ReplyDelete
  26. hey "I only believe what Fox News tells me to believe..."
    Who the hell do you think you are talkin' to? lmao. Fox news sucks just like MSNBC, CNN, etc etc but dear,
    Pics and vids is what I believe:

    OO plays "300" Tears down fence of building they are trying to OVERTAKE
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFaviIoy4rg

    City Hall in shambles as tweeted last night
    https://twitter.com/#!/search/oakland/slideshow/photos?url=https%3A%2F%2Fp.twimg.com%2FAkS9E4gCIAAk5UN.jpg

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sarcasm is difficult to read on the internet

      Delete
  27. these actions are useless. goto a ceo, hedgefund manager, or the koch brothers houses. the police stuff was only an afterthought to the original occupy oakland.

    why would a protest against wealthy people gaming the system to enrich themselves be based in oakland? i'll tell you why: bart + LAZINESS. we are the only major city along the bart line with a diminished capacity to herd cats and the occupiers are too LAZY to goto emeryville where all the big box stores are, or concorde where all the million dollar homes are.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh please, these kinds of movements are NOTORIOUSLY funded and controlled by the very people the occupiers are supposedly protesting...

      Wonder why these barbaric tactics are being used and it's becoming a fight w/ the police? B/c they want an excuse to FEDERALIZE the OPD, that's why.
      Problem, reaction, solution.
      At best occupiers are useful idiots, at worst, they are consciously participating in the effort to create a civil war type atmosphere and usher in the police state control grid.

      Delete
    2. Concord is full of white trash, and Mexicans, no 1%ers live there, and Emereyville is super accessible, but they have more cops per capita than any other city in the area, and wouldn't stand for it. In fact, oo did a really weak protest at xmas time - an abandoned cart op, which only inconvenienced underpaid floor workers, and A MIC CHECK AT IKEA OOOOOOOOOO. There's plenty of wealth around the area, oo just doesn't care. Possibly, they're also too stupid, and at least one of their big loudmouths really lives in Santa Cruz and knows fuck all about the bay area.

      Delete
  28. JFK said, "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, will make violent revolution inevitable."

    ReplyDelete
  29. I salute you all for the heroic actions you continue!! In my mid 60's now I too have marched and protested in the cities of Oakland, SF, Berkeley, San Jose, Santa Cruz. This was in the 70's,and 80's and the cops havent seemed to have changed a bit.I hope that you all will continue to resist as I will here in Hawaii, until the day I die. FREE HAWAII!! FREE PALESTINE!! POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oakland is not the same as SF, where they have opted for peaceful nonviolence. Support OWS, and SF but please stop supporting Oakland!!! Until they feel pressure to do the right thing they will destroy our city.

      Delete
    2. When's the last time Occupy SF appeared in the media? Too busy being 'PC' Yawn. By the way, anyone notice where all Bush's DHS money went (tanks vs. citizens anyone)? They are ready for war. I now return you to your drum circle.

      Delete
    3. What's this SF thing I sometimes see people mention? Is it that village across the bay from Oakland? There's an occupy there as well? It's all very confusing. Thanks.

      Delete
  30. heres the thing about integrity, you've got to stick to the higher ground every time. do not feed the enemy by engaging in mirrored tactics. so the cops are shooting and throwing shit, thats what they do in a police state. but once anyone on the other side throws anything, even if its just a balloon, the integrity of the group is diminished and now the cops may claim self defense and impunity for their own harsher actions. there are a lot of young kids in oakland, yall will need to grow up fast if u want to keep at this and expect positive results. dont throw firecrackers, that is violent, idiotic, and juvenile. dont spit, dont curse, etc. sounds uptight but as someone with nearly 20 years experience in this game, i know what im talking about. do you remember seattle 99? guess what, the so-called black bloc anarchist kids ruined it for everyone and tarnished what could have been a popular movement for over ten years because of it. talk to the folks who are occupying dc, they seem to be capable of marching without throwing stupid shit at the cops, even tho that is what we'd all like to do, you just have to know better, act with integrity, stake your claim to the higher ground.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. the black bloc made seattle, without them it would have been another rainbow gathering hippie fest. get real, start resisting and stop chanting that tired bullshit. it was old 20 years ago, its fossilized now.

      Delete
    2. I assume the writer about Seattle in 99 wasn't there. I was. The police were vicious and violent without the excuses provided by the masked black bloc and were able to essentially shut down the WTO, but the black bloc's violence provided the story for the mainstream media.

      While there were some folks who genuinely believed they were acting as proper anarchists, I have no doubt that under some masks were undercover cops. That's how all government's do it. Gratuitous violence against the citadels of the establishment may be gratifying, such as breaking the windows of Oakland's city hall and vandalizing its contents, but the question that always needs to be asked is cui bono?

      The Oaktown police have a long history of using Gestapo like tactics and used rubber bullets at an earlier peaceful port protest and that became the story. The fools or police agents who tossed firecrackers and bottles at them earlier just provided them with an excuse for the violence with which they responded.

      If there is going to be violent resistance against them, it has to come from people within the community, not by outsiders, as the Weathermen learned what they brought violence into Chicago back in the 60s and were told by its black residents who had to deal with Chicago's oversized pork on a daily basis, to get the fuck out! That's the message that needs to be passed on to the juvenile wouldbe revolutionaries who are messing up OO.

      They should pay attention, as well, as to who burns or takes down the US flag. In Chicago 68, the guy from the Bay Area who pulled it down, setting off a violent police riot in Grant Park, was a pig. They made a show of arresting him and then after a few moments, let him go and pushed him away. I saw the whole thing.

      Delete
    3. Oh please I'm so sick of the conspiracy theories, not that I don't know that there are provocateurs.

      BUT:
      1) Occupy Oakland doesn't need any provocateurs, they are doing their own damage
      2) Look at the vids during the flag burning, notice all the OOers cheering???? It was not just a matter of a single individual.
      3) "Pig" Oh how revolutionary of you. Please go back to this sixties.
      4) The weathermen? Are you seriously thinking we should look to terrorists to take our cues?

      Just please go back to the margins of the 60's. The good that came out of that era was not brought forth from people like you but from people who stood peacefully in their dignity demanding their rights.

      Delete
  31. Glad to see so many folks standing up against OO. Thank you. Mine has been a voice in the wilderness and it's nice to finally have some company.

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    Replies
    1. You must not be in Oakland, there's a rainforest of us over here. We all left and we were highly involved. Remember 15,000 marching in November? Now some 1500, 80% arrested from out of town. It's a joke. And it makes us sad.

      Delete
    2. Instead of being sad, you lot should rejoin and kick out the monkeys. Be a little violent for a change, it will do you good.

      Delete
  32. Thanks for posting, boogieman. I agree with what someone above said -- that regardless of whether or not you agree with Occupy, are sick of Occupy, etc, people have the right to non-violently protest. If it's not the issue you care about now, you may find something you do care about enough to march about, and when you do...should you be arrested for doing do? No, at least I don't think so. I am also disappointed (but not surprised) that people threw projectiles at the police, that sucks. But do the police have the right to punish the crowd of non-violent protestors, the ones who didn't throw anything at them, because they were pissed about something that happened hours earlier? No. I don't understand why the police overreact later on, against people who didn't commit any violent acts, and it's not right. I've been down there before, and I've marched for other things, and when they give the order to disperse, I leave. But it sounds like yesterday, they didn't even permit that, how can one leave if there are no exit routes? It boils down to this: you can no longer march peacefully, because you may be treated like a non-peaceful protestor, and you may be detained and arrested just for marching. And that's not right, plain and simple.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Replies
    1. Lovely, thanks for your intelligent contribution.

      Delete
    2. Or to paraphrase:

      "F. the police, pay them overtime!"

      Delete
  34. Occupy Oakland has no will to change itself and adopt nonviolence.

    They have no desire to remove the anarchist/shit-stirrers.

    So what do we do? those of us who want a movement for economic justice, what do we do????

    Start another Occupy here?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is utterly simple, I just don't grasp why you haven't done it a long time ago - you fuckin occupy OO! Get it?! You just do it, YOU, THE PEOPLE - why on earth do you let these punks dictate what YOU, THE PEOPLE, are about? Why do you let them hijack YOUR movement? What kind of wusses are you?

      Delete
  35. "your generation?" jeezus you millenials r so effin self-absorbed. of course, you r the prized and worshipped ones from the day u took ur first shit...get the fuck over yourselves, recognize those who have done the work before u and understand that this movements power has more to do with the technology now available than one effin age group. this movement is multi-generational, to think or espouse otherwise is to limit what it can be and how far we can go.

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  36. Hey I've been an Oakland resident for a while, and it's time to stand up for what you believe. How are we going to protect our world from climate change, or stop corruption if we aren't allowed to do what is RIGHT! There are hundreds of buildings which are vacant, unused, and simply owned by some bank which illegally foreclosed on the owners. Occupy feeds people, gives them a voice, and is inclusive.

    That being said...we need OCCUPY candidates for office, and we need to batter down any Democrats who vote for ACTA, SOPA, NDAA, and KEYSTONE XL.

    -Raleigh (lives on Lee street)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We already know Republicans are owned by the Oil companies, so it's up to us to apply CONSTANT PRESSURE to any democrat who wants to make a deal with the devil.

      Delete
  37. By virtue of being totally inclusive and not excluding certain behaviors OO is NOT inclusive.

    It does not include the majority who do not care to be part of a "Fuck the Police" rally.

    It does not include people who embrace anarcho philosophical perspectives.

    It does not include people who are dedicated to nonviolent peaceful protest.

    It is NOT inclusive.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. should say in third line "who do NOT embrace anarcho..."

      Delete
    2. Well then why don't you organize your own protest and announce it an OO General Assembly instead of whining that your views are not represented? People who don't share you whiney pacifist hippie bullshit shouldn't have to work with you if they don't want to.

      Delete
    3. Thank you.

      Layer after layer of the 99% are being left behind, tired of the silly pretense of grass-roots democracy that is an endurance contest of how many GA's you can attend. The movement and the GA's are increasingly becoming by- and for- the angriest protestors, not by- and for- ordinary people hurt by the larger system.

      Delete
    4. The movement and the GA's are increasingly becoming by- and for- the angriest protestors, not by- and for- ordinary people hurt by the larger system - BECAUSE YOU LET IT HAPPEN! Sheesh!

      Delete
  38. From all the videos I've watched, it's always been the police who've initiated the violence. Sure, it's been after warnings of unlawful assembly, but come on, staying in park protesting, or on the street is a legal right. I'm a pacifist myself, so I agree with those saying that this movement should be non-violent, but it also needs to stay in the public's eye so it doesn't fizzle.

    So yeah, keep it peaceful, but keep it going. And keep the cameras on the police!
    -T

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I watched several livestreams yesterday and re-watched some today. Those anarchists threw the first stones/bottles.

      And talk about propoganda... having peace signs on their shields.

      They're so full of shit.

      Delete
    2. i noticed that too. and i noticed it back during the first round of occupy oakland, when i was there and participated in the protests. there were protesters throwing stuff at the police before the police took action. etiher people deny it, or they say things like "it was only water bottles, it wouldn't hurt them, they shouldn't have responded with tear gas." yes, perhaps the OPD shouldn't have used tear gas. but that does not justify throwing stuff at them in the first place! the lack of logic - or maybe i should say, the use of schoolyard logic in situations like this - is utterly dissapointing. we the protesters always HAVE to take the moral high ground and act with integrity. the OPD's lack of integrity does not justify ours! we need to MODEL that which we want to SEE. the ends do not justify the means.

      "...one day we must come to see that peace is not merely a distant goal we seek, but that it is a means by which we arrive at that goal. We must pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means. All of this is saying that, in the final analysis, means and ends must cohere because the end is preexistent in the means, and ultimately destructive means cannot bring about constructive ends." MLK

      Delete
    3. Again you morons aren't and haven't been out there. I was there the first time an officer shot tear gas at some old poor fuck who was in a wheelchair. I was right up front not a single water bottle went over my head, and yet there were the canisters the pepper spray. Didya know every OPD is issued a chest recorder? Ever seen one used in a trial? I ask because I have seen them. They are incredibly clear. So if you are so upset at people throwing water bottles at people shooting them with rubber rounds FIRST then just resign yourself to staying inside and don't bother dealing with the reality in the streets. Why are there 100 videos of people getting shot at an gassed and three clips of water bottles? It's been a while since I've seen so many people in such deep denial watching a marine get flash-banged while people are helping him on the ground and say, Reasonable. MLK was shot to death and the was an unpopular figure in his day, people though he made niggers to uppity. Guess what? They called him violent too.

      Delete
  39. ITS FRANK OGAWA PLAZA, NOT OSCAR GRANT. Get that shit STRAIGHT!! FUCKTARDS!

    ReplyDelete
  40. Thanks Boogie Man, pretty much confirms everything on the livestreams. Best Of Luck Buddy! & much love

    Officer #119 - http://pastebin.com/B9q02Wub < PLZ SHARE!!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Get OUT of my gorgeous country, you filthy pieces of leftist slime.

    Go to Cuba, to Venezuala, to anywhere your 'hero' dictators rule. Then everyone can be equal...

    At a subsistence level.

    You pathetic goons are the stuff on the bottom of my shoe.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Like the Leftists stole your job and property....waaaahahaha. Who's the tool here?

      Delete
    2. Stole it, and then made us pay for their clean up again when they squandered what they stole.

      Delete
  42. The Tank in action http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-cFRK3wTqk

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  43. I think it's an important habit to separate the reaction into two parts, and say them both together:

    For people who weren't there: police started the pattern of violence. The ratio of tear gas and b.s. mass arrests compared to actual arrests for vandalism is astounding. A veteran protesting peacefully has his skull cracked by police, for what? Imagine if China has used mass-arrests and tear-gas to break the Tiananmen Square protests. Would that have been good enough to call it American democracy? The financial and physical cost of police attacks on what began as gentle and peaceful protests is astounding, what is the purpose of it? Why didn't police arrest the occasional vandal, when did Americans decide it was ok to march in lockstep on dissidents? If you believe in the right to protest, where are you?

    For people who are part of the movement: The tiny ineffective flurry of not-non-violence, things like a bit of garbage thrown at a police shield or a broken window, we know create at atmosphere where we lose. This isn't high school history class where the goal is prove to the teacher that America isn't as cool as the teacher says. We're using tactics that don't work, that never work, that we know won't work, that will mean less money for teachers and more for cops. If consensus is a real thing, something that can work in the world, then we need to make it work here, to build a movement that learns from past movements. Running around struggling with the police -- returning their volleys -- in a way that gets them overtime and larger budgets is a disasterously stupid approach, and claiming that we're the good-guys doesn't excuse the lack of tactics. The flag-burner and the window-breaker would not have been welcomed by King or Ghandi, and I want to be part of a movement that is for real.

    OWS has become a pissing match between a few activists and the OPD, incredibly detrimental to the people it claims to support.


    My main point is that both are true, and it's most helpful to say both at the same time: police violence against protestors is unacceptable and a violation of what this country should stand for, and protestors having pissing contests with the police instead of realistic efforts to create change is stupid and childish and we need to change.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Steven-
      I think this may be one of the most intelligent and useful five paragraph essays on Occupy that's been written since mid-September.

      I especially love the phrase that
      "Not-non-violence means...less money for teachers and more for cops."

      Delete
    2. My apology-- that should have read "Stephen", not "Steven"

      Delete
    3. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    4. "The flag-burner and the window-breaker would not have been welcomed by King or Ghandi, and I want to be part of a movement that is for real."

      Well, perhaps, not by you, as their contemporary interpreter, but, in fact, they reached out to people with their message of non-violence, relying upon it as a philosophy of inclusion instead of exclusion. Both would have explained why burning the flag or breaking a window is ineffectual instead of kicking them to the curb. By the way, Gandhi actions weren't always non-violent, consider, for example, the riots of the "Quit India" campaign of 1942 or 1943.

      "Running around struggling with the police -- returning their volleys -- in a way that gets them overtime and larger budgets is a disasterously stupid approach, and claiming that we're the good-guys doesn't excuse the lack of tactics."

      I am confused. You talk about "tiny ineffectual flurries on not non violence" and then blow it up into "returning their volleys" Which was it? Perhaps, if you weren't so intent upon maligning Occupy Oakland, this might more sense. In any event, the protesters on Saturday didn't come anywhere close to returning the volleys of the police. People on a march got subjected to a sustained barrage of tear gas and flash grenades. Must have missed the protesters firing similar things back at the cops. Then, a bunch of people got kettled and arrested.

      Funny thing is, I generally agree with you. Provoking the police is a losing proposition. I'd take your side in a discussion or assembly, but I would express it differently, and recognize that I had to persuade others who are my equals of my belief. Talking down to people in such a hyperbolic and condescending way is sure to get you ignored. You probably didn't respond too well to my response to some of your statements.

      Distorting what happened and dismissing the purpose of the 1/28 action makes that even more likely. If you haven't noticed, non-violence hasn't worked so well lately, either, and we should honestly acknowledge that, and talk about the reasons why neither non-violence nor "a diversity of tactics" have been effective, instead of imposing our perspective as a litmus test of acceptability.

      Delete
    5. TOTALLY agree. btw: GANDHI. not ghandi.

      Delete
    6. well, got it right in paragraph 2, late night typographical errors

      Delete
    7. Well said, Stephen! I would also point out that there was nothing wrong with the move to "occupy" the vacant Kaiser convention center," the problem is by whom. Had OO been connected with people from Oakland who are doing work in their communities and who actually live there, it might have turned out quite differently with the city having been forced to pay attention to the issues it would have raised. But apparently they didn't and the city and the cops knew it. Result: 300 arrests, some folks beat up, OO badly tarnished in the eyes of the 99% and now the need to raise money for the upcoming court cases. There is absolutely nothing to cheer about in this case.

      Delete
  44. Wow, I'm surprised with the heat OO is takinG! From what I saw, the police were the bastards!

    ReplyDelete
  45. Now the stated goal of the demonstration was an illegal activity. Why should the cops have to call an unlawful assembly before arresting folks when the folks are engaged in a crime?

    ReplyDelete
  46. you keep your non-violence and when someone gets in office and gets tired of the movement and decides to send in the real thugs, then what? people are losing the battle for control of this country and it is getting far worse. to condemn their acts is to concede to defeat. would you say the same thing to Palestinians or the egyptians when you show your solidarity? besides i am all for people using eminent domain on the city gov't. these buildings do nothing and they could be housing the ones that are on the street because they had no protection from the crooks on wall street. this will only divide the movement even more... you must accept that violence against inanimate objects and in self-defense is sometimes necessary. they will not stop. no matter how much you march in the streets, people will lose their jobs and their homes. they don't have representation in office. it's long overdue that people start taking more direct action to strengthen the movement.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As bad as it is, Oakland is not occupied Palestine nor Egypt under Mubarak so that comment is irrelevant. I agree that "it's long overdue that people start taking more direct action" but that is what needs to be organized by the people who are being victimized not the role of lightly hued self-righteous outsiders who are so full of themselves that they think they know what's best for others. That seems to be an imitation of those in this country who support US imperialism.

      Delete
  47. Thank you very much for this. I watched what ACTUALLY HAPPENED yesterday via OakFoSho & other's Ustreams last night for about 4+ hours.
    This account goes with what I saw & heard with my own eyes. NOT what the police, mainstream media, or that frustrating ignorant excuse for a Mayor Jean Quan has stated.
    Solidarity with Occupy Oakland & all Occupy Movements.
    <3 - a bay area born & raised native.
    P.S: Don't feed the trolls guys.

    ReplyDelete
  48. More baton shampoo's need to be handed out.

    ReplyDelete
  49. When an empty building, or grass in a park is deemed more important than the First Amendment, you know the truth of protecting the rich is being obscured. Go Occupy!

    ReplyDelete
  50. Solid story, which must be obvious to you by now based on the very large number of comments. F@ck the police! Keep resisting.

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  51. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  52. @Jeff Ditto everything you said about occupy Oakland with occupy San Diego -- "a pissing match between a relatively small group of activists and the OPD" likewise with San Diego PD. I totally agree that its just "a distraction from an enormous problem that's deeply rooted in our society as a whole."

    I also fully support the message of OWS but OSD deteriorated into just childish, ignorant behavior.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Thank you for this honest account.
    As one who was at the protest and was arrested for- I'm not sure exactly. Not dispersing after not being told to disperse?
    Who knows. It's whatever OPD wants it to be.
    I don't agree with everything OO does, but at least they are resisting. To the pacifists- OO has embraced a diversity of tactics so organize your peaceful protests and let TAC organize theirs. Stop trying to control everyone. It's not peaceful. The system is not going to change willingly and the rest of the 99% aren't going to join us. However they may suffer, Americans benefit greatly from the current system of worldwide exploitation. Some may want to tinker with it slightly to benefit themselves, but few of them really want to change it.
    I agree with those who have said this isn't about OPD and this fight is distracting, but the problem is the OPD can't not let it be about them. They are the oppressive tool of the system so they have to be dealt with.
    Keep bleeding the city until they can no longer afford to violate our rights!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I take it you don't live in Oakland even though you demand "our rights." The city has been bleeding for years, stemming from the venality of its politicians who bankrupted it in the belief that it needed to bring back the Oakland Raiders. Don Perata and Ignacio de La Fuentes were the culprits in that case but even KPFA wouldn't touch them because they were Democrats and what Left there was didn't say a friggin word.

      Delete
  54. That's your strategy?

    "Keep bleeding the city until they can no longer afford to violate our rights!"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yup. As much as they cry about shrinking funds, apparently they have too much money if they can afford to suppress our freedoms of speech and assembly.

      Now you give me your brilliant idea.

      Delete
  55. COULD OF?

    Learn to spell, you useless hippie.

    Plus, you make it sound like because no police were injured, everything you fools were doing was OK.

    I wish the police used even more force on you worthless contributors to society.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Could of" actually contains NO spelling errors. I'm sure you already knew that though, and intended to type, "Learn correct grammar..." instead.

      Delete
    2. Yes, if you want to be pedantic.

      Delete
  56. The Armored Vehicle "Grizzly" mentioned in the article was designed and manufactured by Blackwater, now known as Academi.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtLTnQ8qL0A
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grizzly_APC

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  57. Good for you, Boogie Man, you had some fun with the police. There is one thing you totally missed - the whole, entire event, "Move-in" had NOTHING to do with Occupy Wall Street. It is totally antithetical to its stated principles of "transparency" (not telling people what building they are going to occupy is not transparent) "non-hierarchy" (who are these people who are coming up with these erroneous tactics) and "nonviolence" (obviously, inciting the police is violent).

    The people who planned "Move-in Day" need to be outed and they need to be held accountable. Take a real look around Boogie Man, and see that the majority of your comrades in Oakland DO NOT support these actions. Most of the people that day were not even from Oakland.

    And, don't be so proud of yourself that you tangled with the police. Believe it or not, they are the 99%. I will be much more willing to admire you when you go out into the streets and help a junkie or a homeless person, a starving person, a veteran, a sick person, the elderly, etc. Fixing that mess is what OWS is all about, not playing with the police. Let's use some wisdom here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. The net effect of OO will be a few people who already didn't trust the police being proven that they were right, and less funds for the homeless, hungry and sick, less attention to transforming Wall Street, probably less votes for progressive politicians and more votes for law-and-order politicians. People accept a corrupt status quo because they fear change, and the truth is they have some reason to fear change: to use big examples the French and Russian revolutions were just as justified and more than our little revolt, and turned out really bad. At this point the movement is losing people who a few months ago would turn out to shut down the port. An unwillingness to engage truth within our own movement will be the end of it.

      Delete
    2. Yes yes, correct. Now go on and fix it, you are the 99%, take back your movement, occupy OO, don't just stand there like dumbasses.

      Delete
  58. NPR called the firecrackers thrown at the police IEDs ******pffffttt*****

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  59. I support your occupy movement in Oakland and I'm behind you 100% as I am with all the protest movements in So Ca. and throughout the nation. I understand exactly what your doing and please don't let up on your momentum for all your upcoming marches and methods that you use to express the true goal and philosophy of OWS. I understand this not about fighting the police of Oakland. Your agenda, as is with all of us, is pretty crystal clear. After reading all the anti-OWS comments and some who are pro-OWS, but think your've gone over the top, well frankly, they just don't hold water! You are the winner, we are all winners, peace and non-violence will always win. Thank you. P.S. I will be continuing my support as I have from the beginning by all means possible.

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  60. I think most of the people slandering the occupy movement here are poor slaves to the lying media. I feel sorry for them because they will become more and more lost, and more dependent, as the 1% gets more scared at the results we are having and the backlash gets worse, which if we continue to be successful will happen. The writer of this account deserves thanks because otherwise all you get are the lies and propaganda from the mainstream media. It is unfortunate, and also totally understandable, that most of the people who don't seem to get it are sometimes the most educated and privileged in our society, which says A LOT about our educational system. I totally support the occupy movement and hope that non-violence can be maintained in the face of provocateurs and the ignorant who quote and embrace the lies of the fascist state. But regardless of them, we must continue to try to include them, reach out to them, and to teach them that non-violence is the ONLY way we are really going to win. Without it we may win a few battles but we will lose what we really want which is a peaceful and inclusive society that works together for the benefit of everyone.

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    Replies
    1. yeah, and chanting 'fuck the police' will definitely get you that respect. i am decades into a life of activism, and this crap shames me so badly. PUERILE.

      Delete
  61. Hey this is Ryan Rizzo — I'm an editor with the Occupied Wall Street Journal. Do we have your permission to work this copy into a post on our website? Shoot me an email at rizzoproof at gmail and let me know (kinda asap, ya know how these things go).

    Thanks, and great work!

    -RR

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  62. Outstanding first person reporting! I wish I could have been there, but Boogie Man's reporting takes me right into the action.

    One point some seem to be missing is that whatever the protesters did, OPD once again violated it's own, and generally accepted, police protocols.

    If I know our comrades at the NLG, they'll file a suit against OPD and the city for this. They'll win, get more court orders against OPD, including potentially millions of dollars Oakland will have to pay.

    Of course, in the future, OPD will violate proper police protocols again whenever they feel they need to.

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  63. bullshit. i was 10 blocks away at home, watched the whole thing on both abc7 and occupy streams, there is NO WAY it was 1000 people, aerials do not lie. it was maybe 300 people tops. i have been in many LARGE and small protests over the decades, NO WAY that was 1,000 people.

    also, i did not hear ANY educating about the issues. oakfosho went on and on and ON about his fucking fan club, his anon support, how to donate, and gave his links and info over and over again...not ONCE did i hear anyone say, 'here's mayor quan's number, please call her and let her know what you think about these important issues, here's the governor's number, here's the white house number. ' not ONCE did i hear any of the occupy streamers spend that valuable time sharing info, discussing the issue, or bringing any relevance to the demo, except in context their personal involvement. 'oh look, how cute, we have a tent set up in the park.' NOTHING about the issues, not even, why tents in the park.

    where were the stats on homelessness? where was the post-discussion on why to occupy that building? where was the discussion of illegal foreclosures and bank bailouts? what the FUCK was up with the only discernible chanting being 'fuck the police,' and not, 'shut down the fed?' just more of the same old bullshit us and them crap. it became entirely about OO against the OPD. and you know what? the OPD are doing their jobs. if they don't they will get fired. i'd bet the ranch that most OO protesters on the street that day have NO clue what it takes to toe the line and feed a family. but, isn't that what occupy is supposed to be about? GUESS NOT.

    OO were the ones who were stupid enough to get 'kettled.' you let yourselves be herded. everyone thought they could bum rush the ymca front doors, and oops!

    there was no 'second building' to go to, though everyone kept saying that was the goal: 'we're marching to another building in about 30...25...20...minutes, etc.' street streams had people saying, 'where are we going?' i don't know, we're going left, no we're going right, i guess we're just marching around.'

    OPD was very smart about the kettle bust. they shut you ALL down on saturday night and saved the city thousands more dollars chasing your asses around, playing stupid games with children, the rest of the weekend.

    now you're all whining about being victims. shut the fuck up. go learn from some REAL activists, people who have spent decades in a hole, or prison, or fighting for a nuclear free future. stop bitching about your petty crap, and learn about tibet. grow the fuck up.

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    1. Thank you! They're getting sympathy from people I really respect who don't have enough info about what's going on here. This needed to be said.

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    2. Yes to above comment, wholeheartedly !

      Grow up OO-participants, "us good guys against them OPD pigs" is kindergarden level and has nothing to do with reasonable protest.

      Just like outlined in the above comment:

      SPECIFY your DISCONTENTS,
      OUTLINE your INTENTIONS, GOALS, DEMANDS...

      ... and do so in an ADULT way.

      If OO (and several other occupy locals) don't understand this, the whole movement will continue wasting well meant efforts, squandering public funds, losing motivation and the support of the general public.

      Oh, and there's absolutely no alternative to 100 % non-violence, that is the ONLY acceptable strategy.
      ZERO tolerance for any violence whatsoever.

      (Generally Sympathetic Observer / Europe)

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  64. Approximately 400 people were arrested, the vast majority of whom, if not all, had nothing to do with the actions that so many here find objectionable. The police kettled them, and cut off all avenues of escape in violation of OPD crowd control policy. I donated to the bail fund, because they shouldn't have to stay in jail. But I guess that makes me an immature leftist, because I should instead believe that it is more important to be angry at them and express my perspective in the most insulting way possible.

    People need to get their priorities straight. Right now, the important thing is to get these people out of jail. You can argue with them afterwards.

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    1. If OO had made a serious effort to connect with the Oakland community and I take it from the numbers that they didn't, there would have been community support for taking over the convention center and with larger numbers involved and instead of, once again, having to get people out of jail, the city and OO+the community would quite likely today be in a stand-off, negotiating the future of the convention center and other unoccupied Oakland buildings.

      The reason that the city was willing to let the OPD loose on the protesters, with or without the firecrackers and bottles, was that the mayor and the police chief knew that the majority of those protesting did not live in Oakland and that there would be no public price to pay for the crackdown. The fools/police agents throwing that shit just made the city and the cops' job that much easier.

      Organized resistance against the police does work when you have large numbers involved who are well organized and not subject to the whims of assholes playing anarchist. You only had the latter in Oaktown.

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    2. I'm not following you. The people are in jail and should be released as soon as possible, unless, of course, you, and others here critical of OO, are fine with the tactics that police used to detain and then arrest them, and fine with having them stay in jail indefinitely. That doesn't strike me as a particularly liberal, progressive, leftist or radical approach. In any event, they need any assistance anyone can provide to make that happen.

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    3. I'm not saying or suggesting that they shouldn't be sprung as quickly as possible and to imply that I support the tactics of the cops is ridiculous. Maybe you should read what I said again very slowly. The problem of OO is that it has taken some actions that might have been successful if significant numbers of Oaktowners were involved whose arrests could then bring more people into the streets. But when folks come from out of town and get beaten up and/or busted and there is no support from the community they were trying to "liberate" maybe, in the future, they should do some serious thinking about that and do what they can to change the situation.

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  65. Yesterday on KQED's radio show "Forum" Occupy Oakland was the topic for the first hour. Virtually all the calls and posts to their comment board were from people who "once supported Occupy Oakland" or "initially participated"... "used to support"... "still support OWS but not OO".... These folks have all been turned off by the refusal of Occupy Oakland to condemn acts of vandalism. They are tired of their city getting trashed and see no point in it.

    For those claiming it was up to us then in Oakland to change this group from within, you don't understand one bit how dogmatic this group is. We tried. Let me say that again: WE TRIED. We were harassed, belittled, called names, accused of being infiltrators and worse. This was the experience of so many of us who, like the callers/commenters at KQED "once supported and participated in" Occupy Oakland. If I thought for a minute there was even a chance that this group would be open to a nonviolent perspective I know I would not have given up. They are absolutely 100% opposed. And no amount of talking will persuade them. Even now, as they lose community support, they refuse to condemn the vandalism and make lame excuses for it.

    One cannot always break through in a groupthink situation. And that is sadly the case for OO. It is very much a closed group dynamic.

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    1. OK, if OO is losing support and it is a groupthink situation, create another Occupy, Occupy Oakland 2, Occupy East Bay, whatever

      if OO is losing community support, then there is an opportunity to reach out to that community

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    2. Richard - people who have been accused of being "divisive" or "infiltrators" or disloyal are in a trap. If they do that then it proves the rhetoric of the dogmatic in OO who will say "it was THOSE people who destroyed OO". Sigh. I'm not excusing inaction, I'm only explaining.

      I do believe recent events might actually be the opportunity we've needed to coalesce, without fear of the backlash, to creating a 2.0 for OO. I think springtime will be a renewal. Call me an eternal optimist. We need leaders, people with real time to devote to such a thing.

      Oh, and to say that OO is "leaderless" is hogwash. There are a few key players in a tight knit group dedicated to their anarchistic philosophies and hellbent on making Occupy something about OPD, all the time. And they control the website and thus the communication in OO. That is some real power.

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    3. If you control the message, you control the movement. Indeed.

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    4. "Oh, and to say that OO is "leaderless" is hogwash. There are a few key players in a tight knit group dedicated to their anarchistic philosophies and hellbent on making Occupy something about OPD, all the time."

      totally. the ones with the cameras, the ones with the donation funds, the ones with 50 social networking links which expound upon their selfless greatness.

      Delete
  66. This is such a stupid argument. Apparently people want all protesters to be:

    Dressed exactly the same, thinking in the exact same way,looking the exact same way, and sharing the exact same philosophies. Then sitting quietly like mice while the cops and bankers find excuses to beat the crap out of them.

    If this happened then what? The police and bankers would still be corrupt and abusing the citizenry.

    People can either respect the fact that humans aren't made with cookie cutters and sometimes things will not flow perfectly or they can whine and suffer until they're forced to be on the streets with the protesters.

    To the "businesses" that are whining: you sat there and took the business loans for your business from the very bankers that seek to destroy you. But as long as YOU make a profit then you are okay.You don't truly care about your neighbors or city. The other businesses harmed by Wall Street you have no regard for.

    So pay attention: you can be the only business standing in your neighborhood but shortly all of your neighbors will know that you wanted the cash more than you wanted to help the citizens of your city. Then reap what you have sown when the bankers have crushed you and you stand in the bread lines with everyone else.

    People act like there wasn't a depression in this country due to the bankers. They act like it "can't" happen again.

    It can and it will because you are divided.

    Now that having been said, OO needs to back off and regroup with a vengeance later.

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    1. Well written I must say. Today, they're throwing firecrackers and balloons and the police are "upping the stakes" with a water cannon. In response, sooner or later, *someone* is going to bring a Molotov cocktail or a revolver. This is only a matter of time. YOU need to be there-- the "lamestream" media will *never* report the truth about that one.

      Keep your head down and be there-- The World needs to know the truth.

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  67. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    1. WOW, nice move, corporate advertising in an Occupy-blog.
      That's new.

      Delete
  68. Amazing, it's 2012 and you Americans still revere MLK and Gandhi and can't get over the "violence" of throwing some trash at american pig.

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    1. Yes we do revere peaceful activitists who galvanized the world's attention in a POSITIVE way to bring about change. Most people are attracted to the positive and turned off by the negative.

      Oh, and the 1960's called and they want their "revolutionary" slang back.

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  69. Unfortunately, supporting "diversity of tactics" in OO has turned off a lot of folks from joining in any of these demonstrations. I totally support the OWS movement, but am no longer taking part in these things because of the "fuck the police" contingent, the spray painters, etc. Even if the majority are peaceful protesters, OO's approving the inclusion of all these pissed off folks who like to trash things and see the police as the main enemy insures that they will always be the ones who get the news coverage. If OO would at least condemn those tactics and commit to nonviolence there would be ten times as many people involved. I agree with Jeff; it's a waste of time and resources to keep doing things this way.

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  70. So sad. Again another string of posts wasting time, while using the door of communication that was opened by the 99 percent. Playing judge and jury, guilty or not, immoral or unjust! Oh no, how will they look at me (arrogant).If you were truly worried about the movement, this would not be your discussion.The 99 percent is occupy, no one can be ousted. This is a movement not a club for who you believe should be a member. You can continue to waste time or help the numbers of occupy grow so the world cannot ignore this amazing movement. I post this message in hope that you will rethink your direction, before violence is all that is left. “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable”. JFK Anonkyla

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  71. How can any American not join Occupy? Our country has been hijacked by inhuman Neo Cons.

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  72. "NeoCon" is actually "Old Nazi". "Operation Paperclip". Look it up. Thousands of Nazis were brought into the US government, forming the backbone of the CIA. In the last 60 years they have taken complete control of the International Military Industrial Complex, including both our Legislative and Executive branches of government.

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  73. We are Winning! Loved to read that. Respect from India!!

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  74. Thank you for this very insightful post! I am very suspicious about Occupy Oakland being heavily infiltrated by agent provacateurs in some sort of COINTELPRO type operation. Especially the Flag Burner whom you say is "weird and it's kind of his thing." Sounds like a plant to discredit a movement if ever there was one. Also... how did the crowd get into the building that late at night to take a flag and furniture? Is the building always open and unguarded at night?

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  75. Good report. Think that ought to be "stripped of some dignity" though for "... but I feel like I've been striped of some dignity>>>"

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  76. Shady, Great point. From what I understand the same thing happened in pittsburgh. So it was cancelled and then they satked out the location to capture pictures of the people you speak of. How funny. They showed up and had no clue.

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  77. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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