dlaw: watch me

nuestrahermana:

From Oakland Commune At Frank Ogawa Plaza To Protesting The Streets of Downtown : Occupy Oakland In Pictures

by Nuestra Hermana

On October 25th between 4:30 a.m and 5:00 a.m. over 500 police from different bay area counties surrounded “Oakland Commune”, the downtown Oakland tent city of protesters for Occupy Oakland.

The raid was not peaceful. Protesters were surrounded and rubber bullets, flash grenades & tear gas canisters were shot directly at them in order to get them to disperse. Protesters who were there state that “police from all entranced.. rushed in with sticks and began beating people”. (read more)

Yesterday evening, protestors tried to protest & take back the Plaza once more but were met with 500 police dressed in riot gear. The tactics used were brutal and several protestors were injured. Including Scott Olsen, an Iraq war veteran with Veterans Against War from San Francisco who came to support Oakland in solidarity. He is currently at Highland Hospital in critical condition from a fractured skull and brain swelling caused by OPD. (read more)

OPD is denying ever having used flash grenades and are stating that the flashes seen were from M-80’s brought by protesters. Though, as you can see above, there is picture evidence that says otherwise. In fact, there are numerous videos.

There is no question that the level of police brutality and violence was uncalled for and rather horrendous.

These assaults are disturbing to watch and all the anger against the brutality and silencing of peoples right to protest is completely righteous but let us not forget that police brutality is nothing new for Oakland and minority communities.

Let us not forget Oscar Grant, Raheim Brown, Mack “Jody” Woodfox, only a few amongst many other victims of OPD police violence & murder.

Let us attempt to keep ourselves and others around us as safe as possible.

During these protests, document everything because there have been efforts by police to erase online evidence of brutality (read more), and make sure you know your rights and carry a copy of THIS wherever you go & make sure to have these numbers & contact information bookmarked.

Keep strong, keep organized, respect each other, take care of each other and remember to make your voices heard & have your experiences documented. It has been made obvious that you cannot count for those in office to do the speaking for you.

Below is Oakland Mayor Jean Quan’s most recent press release. This is part of her statement: 

“Frank Ogawa Plaza will continue to be open as a free speech area from 6 am to 10 pm. We want to thank the police, fire, public works and other employees who worked over the last week to peacefully close the encampment. We also thank the majority of the protestors who peacefully complied with city officials. 

I commend Chief Jordan for a generally peaceful resolution to a situation that deteriorated and concerned our community.” Read the rest here (including the 5,500+ and counting angry citizen responses)

Today at 6pm on 14th and Broadway, Oaklanders will once more take their protest to the street. Follow Occupy Oakland on Twitter here.

People in these photos:

 Cat Brooks with the Onyx Organizing Commitee (1st picture),

Scott Olsen, an Iraq war veteran from Veterans Against War Currently in critical condition with a fractured skull & brain swelling at Highland Hospital (2nd picture)

Unnamed Elementary School Teacher holding up flash grenade + rifle cartridges (3rd)

Oakland Teachers against police violence (4th picture)

Samsarah Morgan, co-founder of the Occupy Oakland Children’s Village (5th picture)

*Stephanie M (in middle of photo) from CUIDO (7th picture)

Nurses from National Nurses United (9th picture)

Photos from: The Black Hour,  Kimihiro Hoshino/AFP of The Guardian, Eddie Codel,

*Special thanks to QueLola for her post, which helped me identify the protester in the 8th picture.

fuckyeahmarxismleninism:

Occupy Philadelphia - Day 4, October 9, 2011.

Photos: Occupy Philly