Dozens arrested, cited after Northern California protest

[TexasTowelie]

Source: AP

OAKLAND, Calif. — Authorities acting under a new get-tough policy for monitoring street protests arrested or cited dozens of demonstrators for ignoring police orders to end a demonstration in Oakland.

The Oakland police said the protesters were detained Saturday night after about 100 demonstrators confronted a line of officers. After a brief standoff, the police ordered the protesters to disband. Dozens of protesters who sat in the middle of the street were detained along with several others who tried to flee.

The Oakland Tribune reported Sunday (http://tinyurl.com/m7gnjad) that police cited a new policy by the city's mayor to force protesters from the street to the sidewalk after Oakland experienced several violent demonstrations in the past year. Oakland has hosted rallies in the streets for years, but the mayor said the new policy is needed to combat damage to property and violence.

Mayor Libby Schaaf said earlier that existing policies and laws allows police to clear streets of protesters. Many businesses along the city's automobile sales district were badly damaged by protesters who broke away from the main demonstration on May 1. Businesses also sustained heavy damage during protests arising from the deaths of unarmed black men in police custody in Ferguson, Missouri, and elsewhere over the last two years.

Read more: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/dozens-arrested-cited-after-northern-california-protest/ar-BBkcIvq

[cantbeserious]

1. Heavy Handed Tactics Endorsed By The 1% To Control The 99%

eom

[Hoppy]

2. Whatdeyathink? About $10,000 each, jury award?

[reddread]

3. what did RNC detainees receive?

that should be a benchmark, but it wasnt enough.
the taxpayers paying for their own rights being violated to the pleasure of the thieving war criminals they were protesting.
SSDD.

[rickford66]

4. Why not keep them in the street away from store fronts?

Better yet. Why not have a government that works for the people.

[woo me with science]

5. Constitutionally protected right to protest.

That goddamned piece of paper!

Yes, a police state is being constructed around us:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6199175

[2banon]

6. protestors need to be a bit more strategic in my view..

non-violent civil disobedience in front of police stations and city hall. period. that means no vandalism/destructive damage to local / community business owners.

People who need to take public transportation to and from work home etc, are obviously the poor and working class. avoid obstructing their access to public transportation. Broadway is a main thoroughfare for most of the public transportation routes (bus stops and BART stations). Blocking and disrupting their transportation access is not only harmful to them, but harmful to the movement.

Blocking entrances to hospitals emergency entrances and other public services should be considered VERBOTEN by organizers and all participants!!! Again, very harmful to the movement.

Vandalism and willful destruction of public and private property on the backs of the poor and working class pay checks to pay for the damage does not a winning strategy make.

I'm an old retired activist - I'm saying the current strategy isn't working whatsoever.

[romanic]

7. Agreed 100%

However I think it's quite clear that "protestors" who vandalize and destroy property are not actually apart of the majority who protest in the first place. Anarchists and Black Bloc losers are usually the ones who infiltrate a demonstration and then do the damage, causing chaos and in-fighting with the protestors. There definitely needs to be tactics on behalf of the main group of protesting groups to discourage other groups to wreck havoc in the name of the cause.

But regardless I agree with your other points, especially blocking public transportation and hospitals/highways; THAT DOESN'NT WORK OR HELP ANYTHING!

[2banon]

8. yes, we are on the same page..

on May 1st my daughter had a surgical procedure performed in the morning, and they released her that afternoon. (which they should NOT have done, but that's a different discussion) a few hours (evening) following her premature discharge she needed to be taken to ER. only to be blocked by demonstrators. Eventually she was seen, but I can't express my outrage at the self-absorbed and mindless a-holes that thought blocking entrances to the ER and Pharmacy was a great idea. and yes it was life threatening.

- paramedics were called out to the house on two separate occasions on the same day a few days later.

I posted about my pov on this matter on du, and got slammed for blaming it on anarchist and black bloc. I had and have no idea if black bloc was involved or not, it was their MO during every anti-war in San Francisco during the Iraq Invasion.

[captainarizona]

9. As usual $$$ is more important then black lives

Since oakland wants to get tough with protestors how about the protestors get tough with oakland! This how the black panther party was formed in the first place. Both sides can escalate.