#OCCUPYOAKLAND Protesters’ confrontation with police ends peacefully

It appeared protesters and gas mask-wearing police officers would clash again Saturday night on Oakland streets, four days after a violent police crackdown shoved the Occupy Oakland movement into the international spotlight, but, just as emotions peaked, organizers held up peace signs.

Marchers turned around, patted themselves on the back and returned to their adopted home, Frank H. Ogawa Plaza.

Saturday’s near-confrontation happened on another roller-coaster day for Occupy Oakland: Someone created and circulated a fake letter and website in the name of Jean Quan, the embattled mayor; protesters planned for a citywide work stoppage Wednesday; and an injured war veteran and protester changed hospitals.

night appeared set to spiral out of control shortly after 8 p.m. as an anti-police violence rally wrapped up and protesters picked up signs and headed toward Oakland Police Department headquarters.

Officers had not been seen all day, but lines of riot police wearing gas masks began flanking the marchers until Seventh and Clay streets, less than two blocks from police headquarters. Marchers stopped and began taunting the police, but just as emotions reached a fevered pitch, organizers announced: “Peace people to the front!” Numerous march organizers walked in between the police and protesters, faced the marchers and held up peace signs with both hands.

After a few minutes, the march retraced its steps and snaked its way back inthe direction of the tent city.

Sporadically, on the return to the plaza, protesters tagged anti-cop graffiti with spray paint and smashed parking meters despite organizers’ pleas, and as they returned to City Hall someone busted a window of the Oakland police recruitment center. Police appeared to escort the group from afar and did not intervene.

The rest of Saturday was not nearly as tense, but Quan’s difficult week continued as someone created a fake website and circulated a bogus letter on city letterhead with her forged signature, saying the mayor apologized for “ordering” last week’s “violent repression” of the first Occupy Oakland camp.

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NLG Condemns Excessive Force Used by Oakland Police Against Occupy Demonstrators

From Rachel Lederman, Bobbie Stein, Michael Flynn
Berkeley Daily Planet Wednesday October 26, 2011 – 12:14:00 PM

The National Lawyers Guild San Francisco Bay Area Chapter (NLGSF) condemns Oakland Police excessive force against Occupy demonstrators and violations of OPD Crowd Control Policy.

The Oakland Police Department’s violent response to last night’s peaceful march was unjustified and their actions violated OPD’s own Crowd Management / Crowd Control Policy. That Policy, developed in collaboration with NLG and ACLU attorneys, was adopted by the City of Oakland as part of a federal court settlement, arising from the OPD’s 2003 violent clashes with longshoremen and anti-war demonstrators at the Port of Oakland.

“The police violated just about every provision of their own Crowd Control Policy last night,” said Bobbie Stein, a NLGSF attorney. “Tear gas canisters and flash bang grenades were thrown directly at protesters. A man’s skull was fractured when he was hit by one of these objects. Demonstrators were shot with rubber bullets and shot-filled ‘bean bags’. All of this is prohibited under the Policy that we helped write and under which all OPD officers and commanders are required to be trained.”

The violent police action began at 4:30am yesterday when hundreds of officers moved in on sleeping demonstrators. They tore down the Occupy Oakland encampment and made 115 arrests.

“The NLG is committed to defending the demonstrators until all are released from custody and cleared of all charges,” said NLGSF Executive Director Carlos Villarreal.

Oakland, CA. Tear gas and Flash-Bang grenades used against the people

This video keeps haunting me. The people are completely peaceful. Angry (Rightfully so) but peaceful. They have the right to say what they want to say, and they are threatened (first) to be arrested and then tear-gassed, they got flash-bang grenades thrown at them, and at the end they end up in jail. Is this the famous USA Democracy?

Raw video from KTVU – Tear gas starts at about 3:00 into the video.

Towards the end of the video (3:18) you can clearly see a protester knocked unconscious. People gather to try to help her and police throw a flash bang grenade into the crowd (3:34). It goes off near her head. Disturbing footage.

Hey, Cops! This crowd is NOT violent, is it clear? Need a drawing?

I mean, guys, throwing a flash-bang directly at the people? What if you actually KILL someone?