Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! and Keith Olbermann of Current TV have both been dedicating daily air time to the progress of the #Occupy movement. Occupy Oakland, CA is the latest in the news. Thousands of protesters have retaken Frank Ogawa plaza, in front of City Hall, after Oakland police cleared the encampment in the pre-dwan hours on Tuesday and then again that night, when marchers attempted to return. In that evening event, police used flash-bang grenades, tear gas and bean-bag rounds to disperse what had been a peaceful protest. The video above includes footage of the police violence and of Iraq veteran Scott Olsen being carried away after apparently being hit by a police projectile; plus interviews with one of the people who helped carry him away and one of Olsen’s friends. Olsen is in critical condition with a fractured skull and brain swelling; doctors are keeping him in an artificial coma until swelling subsides and the decide if surgery is needed.
Listening to the broadcast on the radio, it sounded like a war zone. And Olsen’s friend Adele Carpenter told Reuters, “The irony is not lost on anyone here that this is someone who survived two tours in Iraq and is now seriously injured by the Oakland police force.” I asked Fe Bongloan, our political correspondent in the Bay Area of CA, what her take on things was. She said that parts of Oakland basically are a war zone; the 1% live in their protected enclaves, and the police are something to be feared — as evidenced by the 2009 shooting of Oscar Grant and the protests that event generated. Fe described Oakland mayor Jean Quan as being “out of her league” in this situation; Keith Olbermann, in his special comment last night, called for the mayor’s resignation.
Occupy Oakland is calling for a unified city-wide strike on Nov. 2. It remains to be seen whether such an event will escalate tensions and violence or be allowed to occur peacefully; whether the world will take notice and use Oakland’s events to cast the whole #Occupy movement under a shadow of fear, or rather begin to see with clearer eyes the imbalances in power.
Thanks for update Brendan. Hope your last comment turns out to be correct.
Thanks, Amanda.
Updates at DailyKos tonight have the young man upgraded to “Fair” condition, and breathing on his own. No mention of the induced coma, but I’d guess he’s still under pending further cranial exams and continued healing.
BIG dialogues over there on what happened. No seems to find any video evidence posted anywhere of paint/rocks/bricks being thrown at OPD; that was the reason OPD gave for responding so harshly. OPD has not produced any evidence, no TV station has shown anything backing OPD, so it’s at loggerheads now. Lots of people, including some who were there, feel that provocateurs have infiltrated Occupy Oakland.
Gut feeling says OPD spasmed on their own and had no authority to react the way they did, so now cover-up seems to be the word of the day. Camera malfunctions on their side, no doubt.
I don’t think this will turn out well for the City of Oakland.