Arrests in Occupy Oakland
Read Time:3 Minute, 31 Second
In Occupy Oakland, Tent City was dismantled
Police arrest protesters, tear down Occupy Oakland tent city.
At Occupy Los Angeles, the governance is relative well organized. The protesters meet with City Hall officials, communicate regularly with the LAPD. In turn, the police have been supportive of the movement: a few dozen tents on City Hall’s south lawn shifts back to the north lawn when requested. At least one report of an officer supplying the movement with food and medical supplies has been reported.
Many cities in which Occupy movements are taking place—such as San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Portland (Oregon), San Jose’s Silicon Valley, and Edinburgh (Scotland)—incidents between police and protesters have been relatively peaceful.
This is not the situation just 300 miles north of Los Angeles in Oakland, California. The police department began to break up the Occupy Oakland protest around 0430 hrs.
A complement of up to 200 police in riot gear began assembling around tent city in Oakland and Lake Merritt around 3:00 a.m. The officers removed barricades and tents. There were no reports of serious injuries, but some protesters reported being “dragged” away by the OPD. One report indicates Officers made numerous arrests, taking protestors away in vans, without any apparent violence.
Local ABC affiliate reports seeing no police brutality and only four arrests. However, both Democracy Now, quoting Sacramento’s Mercury News, and AP report at least 70 protesters were arrested. CBS noted that the police issued a statement that people are allowed to protest between 6:00 a.m. and 10 p.m. However, no camping is allowed.
In the ensuring mayhem, gathering accurate data on arrests and police presence is difficult at best.
News begins at 2:46 minutes into the video.
Democracy Now reported media was not permitted in the immediate area, but reporters were allowed to stay approximately one-half block away. KRON, San Francisco, will issue an official report from the Oakland PD later today.
The Oakland PD warned the Occupy Oakland protesters prior to moving into tent city.
Attention protesters at Snow Park, this is the Oakland Police Department, you are in violation of the law. You must comply with this announcement. It has been determined that you are illegally lodging and are subject to arrest. To avoid arrest, you must gather all your belongings and vacate the park. You must comply with this announcement now.” Protesters are yelling “police state, police state” and “rise up, rise up, against your masters.” Police are forming a line to protect the people who have been arrested and put in police vehicles. Protesters claim they have the right to assemble and yell “shame, shame, shame, shame,”
At this time, there is massive destruction where the police broke up the Occupy Oakland movement. At 5:30 a.m., three helicopters circled above the scene. Clean up crews will move in soon. Mercury News noted, the area is a complete mess with a couch is on its side and carpet and tents strewn everywhere.
The camp is now basically empty, with a few people standing around and the remainders of several tents lying haphazardly in the grass.
The entire raid was over in about 20 minutes. Police tore down tents and wooden stalls that housed medical aid and food. Garbage cans are overturned. Some police have shotguns and all have their clubs out.
As of 8:30 a.m., approximately two dozen protesters still refused to leave the area across the street from City Hall where the camp was dismantled. Tensions escalated when one protester pushed through a barricade and was taken away by police. Approximately 50 police officers are in place to keep any protesters from reentering the plaza.
A spokeswoman for Mayor Karen Boyd said on Friday the protesters had shown themselves incapable of self-governance. As a collective, they cannot maintain the plaza in a safe condition
One wonders how the previous Oakland Mayor—Jerry Brown—would have handled the situation.
Mad Mike’s America thanks The Oakland Tribune, KCET, the Seattle PI, the San Jose Mercury News, Democracy Now!, ABC, CBS, Daily Fumes, Topix, and the Daily Kos.
Did the City of Oakland act too rashly in dismantling the Occupy Oakland movement?
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0
Mike….I am afraid there was a great deal more to this story than was originally released by the media who were kept at bay. The front line police are not the issue…the higher ups giving orders and uber arming their “troops” are. Once again, I wouldn’t be a law enforcement person for all the money in the world but they are being highly misused during these OWS seiges.
Mike, with all respect-you weren’t there.
I spent many days there the past two weeks. The people there were – WERE – well organized, the camp was clean and everybody was doing their job. Mayor Quan lied about the violence as well as a refusal to meet – she was requested to join the General Assembly in front of City Hall each morning and afternoon.
The OPD raided a peaceful assembly with 200 thugs throwing flash-bangs. If the police had any interest in justice they’d have raided nearby Bank of America and Citibank branches.
The enemy is not working people – the enemy is crony capitalism – special interest groups representing the financial industry who use campaign contributions and lobbyists to direct policy favoring asset and bond market, in opposition to job creation and social justice.
Hats off to the police!! They did their job and no one got hurt. By the way you have to drag someone if they refuse to move after being asked. There is no other way to get it done without hurting them. Where is it you see the Oakland scenario as different from anywhere else? Why was it not peaceful?