Protests with Tear Gas in Berkeley

[daredtowork]

I started commenting on loud helicopters in GD, and then the actual situation became apparent.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/12/06/tear-gas-thrown-windows-broken-clashes-with-police-as-protesters-march-through-berkeley/

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_27084903/protesters-demonstrate-berkeley

http://www.dailycal.org/2014/12/06/protesters-take-streets-berkeley-looting-broken-windows-reported/

http://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/12/06/breaking-post-ferguson-demo-in-downtown-berkeley-march-continues-to-berkeley-police-hq/

I won't repost here because the situation and my response to it is still in progress in the GD post. Just thought I should make a note here since it's going on in Berkeley.

The GD post is here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025922712

[villager]

1. holy shit! My 60's childhood in Berkeley - redux!

n/t

[daredtowork]

2. No rifles on roof tops yet

I just hope we're not going to get the "forces of frak-you-all capitalism" coming out tomorrow to remind us that the protests were led by "professional activists", "out of towners", "students on a weekend lark" and such.

Frankly Berkeley has been a boiling kettle with a tight lid for quite a while now because San Francisco wealth has been raising rents and the people doing the displacing have been more or less heartless about what they have done. Their attitude is: "If you aren't making the money, move somewhere else. It's our city now." And the mayor is in cahoots because he wants their tax base.

If I had realized this protest was happening, I would have dropped my groceries and run to be a part of it. Now it sounds like there's just tear gas and roving police cars in Berkeley, while the protesters themselves have been pushed somewhere into Oakland.

[villager]

3. We don't want another James Rector....

...though I guess there've been plenty of bodies in the streets -- if not necessarily on rooftops -- from "sea to shining sea" this time 'round...

And yes, my sister is still there (and I get back there quite a bit), always emailing about the latest neighborhood to be "upscaled" -- right now, I understand it's the area around Univervsity & San Pablo!

[daredtowork]

4. Gentrification is crushing people on fixed incomes

The people who haven't been displaced by greedy landlords already live in fear they will be next. We are talking about long term residents whose only crime was they were never rich enough to buy property in Berkeley. The Richie Riches have been absolutely heartless, and the Mayor just lets the issue sit in committee.

But even though many are living lives of quiet desperation, Berkeley is their beautiful home. They aren't ready to burn the city down in the name of Overthrowing the System. BAMN and whoever else has been egging on the vandals and looters need to get their heads out of the sand and listen to the community around them. Berkeley is still in the peaceful protest stage: this is the place to gather supporters.