Occupy Oakland: Riot Police Fire Tear-Gas, Flashbangs, Rubber Bullets (and vid)
http://rt.com/news/occupy-oakland-general-strike-467/
"Thousands have gone on a general strike in the city of Oakland, California, while police reportedly entered a protesters' camp. Up to 100 people have been arrested, and the standoff at the camp continues.."
'Dear Media: You Missed This Information Regarding Oakland'
http://occupylosangeles.org/?q=node/1516
"None of yesterday's devastation was planned by, condoned, or in any way sanctioned by the general assembly...Do a Google search for 'Oakland Liberation Front' right now. They are a self-invented, radicalized, pseudo-anarchist group styled after Black Bloc that attempted to subvert the protests.."
What the Cops Really Did In Oakland
http://www.counterpunch.org/2011/11/02/what-the-cops-really-did-in-oakland/
"An eyewitness account.."
Oakland's police department the most brutal in the U.S., not part of the 99%
Oakland's police department has a long-standing reputation of shooting, planting evidence, harassing and otherwise terrorizing the community.
......
OPD claims not to have tear gas, rubber bullets nor concussion grenades due to federal orders currently against the department. The other 17 law enforcement agencies called in for back up are forbidden under a consent decree to bring in such weaponry as well. (OPD has been "monitored" by the feds since 2003.)
UC Davis Pepper Spray attack becomes photoshop justice meme:
http://boingboing.net/2011/11/20/occupy-lulz.html
and last, but certainly not least, Hitler Reacts to Pepper Spray meme:
Occupy Oakland is still on fire.
What many activists find most troubling is not the conclusions those critics draw about tactical choices within the movement, but the lack of information they apparently have in arriving at these conclusions and a lack of interest in why those tactical choices were made in the first place.
For example, they find Hedges' conflation of political ideology and protest strategy, at its core, problematic, as well as his apparent misunderstanding of the local Oakland activist community.
Oakland's large, active, organized community of anarchists and other political radicals are just that: large; active; and, above all, organized. It is true that many are young, white and not Oakland natives, though they are residents. But many believe in community building and mutual aid. And many of those using black bloc at occupy protests are not necessarily anarchists.
Hedges "is really out of touch with anarchists today," says Simons, who dismisses John Zerzan, the anarchist ideologue Hedges points to as the Black Bloc forefather. "Anarchists were very important in creating Occupy Oakland. They were in some ways the initial glue that held the camp together" - the one Hedges applauds as having such "broad appeal" that cities were forced to shut them down using oppressive means. "Very quickly Occupy Oakland became much more than that, but you wouldn't have Occupy Oakland if it wasn't for those anarchists," says Simons.
The 99 percent is a poor class analysis, especially for troubled Oakland, but it does point to the broad coalition necessary to create change in America today. "In this situation, even to make the most modest gains, you have to bring about a force that's nearly a revolutionary force," says Simons. "We have to show that we can fully disrupt the system, even if we just want reforms."
..checked in to see how occupy oakland was doing and found this.
Angela Davis to Speak at Occupy4Prisoners Benefit – Grand Lake Theater, Oakland – Thursday, March 1, 2012 – 7:00 PM
Angela Davis, Elaine Brown, and Barbara Becnel will speak about the prison industrial complex during the program accompanying the showing of the evening’s film. Statements of incarcerated people will also be be featured, and will be read aloud by others.
Broken on All Sides: Race, Mass Incarceration, and New Visions for Criminal Justice in the U.S. is a recently released documentary that takes us inside the prison system, exposing the racism and brutality at its core. The film features Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness...
http://occupyoakland.org/2012/02/angela-davis-to-speak-at-mar-1st-occupy...
..here's a different trailer to broken on all sides.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZNLwixhQEg
edit: found a link with better audio.
Petition approved for signature collection
The city clerk has approved the Recall Mayor Quan Now Petition for signature collection.
Now our work begins.
We have until June 1, 2012, to gather valid signatures from 19,811 registered Oakland voters and get the recall on the November 6, 2012 regular ballot.
Oakland has an opportunity to move forward. For too long leadership at City Hall has been a barrier to creating the city we deserve. Now we can change this and get a mayor to help our city succeed, not continue to hold us back.
Please join us. We are a mostly volunteer effort and we need every hour you can spare, any donation you can afford and any words you can add to our effort.
Oakland must do better.
To sign our petition look for our red, white, and blue signs at the following location:
Montclair Farmers Market - Sun 3/4 9am-2:00pm
If you see a petition collector at any other location, ask them if they have the Recall Now petition.
