Sunday, January 29, 2012

99 Report EXTRA REPORT ::: OCCUPY OAKLAND AND MASSIVE ARREST ACTION BY POLICE ON SATURDAY JANUARY 28TH


Cops fully masked up and in riot gear and gas /smoke visible in background....
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Hundreds Kettled, then arrested and lined up against wall of YMCA waiting to be processed.
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First An Update on What The Hell Happened in #OccupyOakland Last Night
This Photo is a Still Photo taken from @Oakfosho's Live Stream last night. These are actual arresttees lined against the wall waiting to be processed. Oakfosho again managed to get to a site where he could film the action, but going across the street and hanging out a window. People were lined up ( estimates are 200-300). The rule is that each arresstee must have an arresting officer with them to process. ( So it would seem that The Mayor had gotten 300 extra cops on a Saturday Night as an planned arrest action ? Occupy Oakland had a Planned Action yesterday that included a Planned March and an occupation of an Abandoned Building. According to Oakfosho and other Streamers they never reached the Building, and by the time they reached the YMCA , the Police began Kettling and other Tactics including Flash Guns ( not sure that is the right term) and also deployed Tear Gas. I have the photos of the Tear Gas I will add to this post later.

They did Kettle approximately 200 people by the YMCA alone ( arrests estimate 200 to 300 ? total). The Kettling made no sense and according to the Streamers there was NO initial Dispersal Order given. And then announcement was made to disperse while Kettling was occurring and they were back against a wall, so there was Nowhere to go. And why the Chemical Agents were used on people peacefully assembled and marching remains Questionable. On another Front the police were pretty much arresting who ever they kettled, including Journalists.

(The Photo above is the Arrestees lined up by YMCA at about 10PM last night. Thousands were watching the Streams last night. Oakfosho's stream had about 5000 and Elle had over 1000 and Pirate had about 900 and Global Revolution had about 3000. So On a Saturday Night 6- 3am East Coast, they had thousands bearing Witness Watching through most of the Night.)

The Watchers included people from the UK, South America and Japan and Ireland and Down Under. There was also OccupyTV and TRWBL. Some of the Livestreamers that were arrested wisely hand their cameras and equipment off to other people. The Police did not set up zones for the reporters or citizen journalists. ( There are questions about what happens to people arrested when cameras and phones are with the Arrested). Also the Main Medics were arrested last night as well, and it is unclear whow as left to take care of other people during this situation. ( Medics with the Red Cross Armbands and NLG Legal Observers the Green caps are not to be arrested.)

While the Police Action was ongoing by the YMCA another showdown was ongoing at 14th and Broadway, this is the same infamous corner where Scott Olsen was injured earlier this fall. Hundreds of cops descended and gave Dispersal Warning ( saying that Chemical Agents would be used) and yet all of us watching the Streams were puzzled as there was literally less than 50 people there, it made no sense.

There was a handful of protesters that broke free and went to city hall and broke in and supposedly took and burned a flag. There are a couple of versions of the story, some Occupy People say that those were anarchy people , NOT occupy, and not part of the planned Occupy Action ( This was a dispute that was discussed On Twitter and the Streams). Also that the flag they burned was not City Halls' that they brought it with them. But again this was a handful of about 8-10 people.

There were officers and units and equipment and Buses seen from the State, the County and other towns and cities, including Union City, Newark, Santa Clara etc. ( Whose funds are paying for all of this, hundreds of cops used against a peaceful protest, leaving other areas of California without protections and services ? And the equipment - Chemical Agents are not cheap, and the armored vehicles ? It just seems that this is wasting Tax payer funds and resources ?)

Tweets re. Journalists Kettled /Arrested included ::
(1) Gavin Aronsen @garonsen
I got kettled by OPD along with 300 or so #oo'ers by the YMCA. I was in a back corner with reporters @vivianho and @KristinHanes.
(2) ReallyRick @TheReallyRick
Reporter @KristinHanes of @KGO Radio in San Fran placed in zipties because she does not have Oakland press pass. #J28 #OccupyOakland

Twitter Coverage ::
(1) Occupy TV. Thanks to @OaktownPirate and @BellaEiko
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If you are inclined to write or call Oakland Authorities ::: MT @Occupy_Police PD Chief Howard Jordand (510) 238-3365 Oakland PD (510) 238-2384 (510) 777-3333 OAKLAND Mayor phone: (510) 238-3141 #OcPo

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More Resources and Information:::
(1) Greg Mitchell of The Nation has a complete Weekend Report that is much more detailed than mine....

(2) TIME even did report and carry OakFoSho's feed ( did not credit him, but might have been trying to protect him at the time ? as Police were photographing photographers and streamers). According to their report it was 300 arrested.

(3) Another Website called Right Now compiled the Tweets and photos of the night. Pretty stunning collection.

(4) Mother Jones Josh Sterns Arrest Reports go back to September but also includes last night in Oakland

This Post is more about the Militarized Police Vehicle being used at Oakland last night. ( Pretty Pricey for use against Peaceful Marchers.)
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PHOTOS::::

Officers Kettling against Buildings wearing Gas Masks....So Plan did include Chemical Agents.
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Tear Gas ? Or Smoke Bomb? used in Afternoon ( against small number of marchers ?)
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While Hundreds waited hours to be processed the Cops handed out water to each other and also ate off the back of the cars, Carryout, chinese and burritos mostly. ( and yes we watched all of this on USTREAM).
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Police with Rifle and full riot gear and gas mask look for the "flag burners " by City Hall. ( Over reaction ?)
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#opd is attaching smoke grenades (bottom) to CS grenades (top) #oo #j28 pic.twitter.com/tTIWjjfm { Photo by a Medic}
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Girl taken away on stretcher after being knocked down , batoned. ( Was taken away via ambulance). The Girl was actually a Cancer Patient that is being denied care by her Insurance Company, and joined the OCCUPY movement, her story is in the Guardian and her story is compelling . She is an Oregon Cancer patient that has joined the Occupy Movement in California. On Twitter Miran Istina @MiranIstina ( Amanda Chappell is Legal name ). ( I have reached out to her to check on her , and offer her the chance to tell her story and share about her Medical Situation either on Awopradio or the 99 Report.
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Mom and Daughter in Afternoon came to the March, clearly confused after gas and trying to figure out where to go
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Closer look at the Cannisters used for Chemical Agents
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Full Riot Gear with Chemical Protecters and Firing What ? Unclear what kind of rifle this was, this is an afternoon photo off twitter.
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Armored Vehicle used by the Y, unclear why it was needed against unarmed Peaceful Protesters ? Show of Force ?
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Lines and Lines of Cops over by 14th and Broadway ( less than 40-50 people there per Ustream) unclear why the show of forces there

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