So why Oakland?

[Nuclear Unicorn]

Progressive city government. Progressive state. Progressive citizenry.

Why wasn't some red state, like Texas, first to crack down?

In my heart I know I'm a progressive but my enthusiasm for politics wanes with each passing day as those I would have given my trust to make my voice heard betray that trust in ways I would have laid at the feet of RWers.

[coalition_unwilling]

1. Start with that quisling Governor Jerry Brown. His silence about Oakland has been, shall

we say, positively deafening. One could almost believe, as another DUer tactfully suggested, that Brown approves of the police action. Fucking disgusting.

K&R for the same questions I'm asking as I contemplate whether to vote Democratic ever again for even the fucking dogcatcher.

[Freddie Stubbs]

4. By that logic, the President also approves

[coalition_unwilling]

9. You said it first (but you are right). Silence equals consent. - n/t

[Freddie Stubbs]

28. Horse shit! Every single politician doesn't have enough time to comment about every single event

[coalition_unwilling]

33. OK, if you say so. Obama was in San Francisco last night right

across the Bay, appearing at a $7500/plate fund-raiser.

Smells like a "Let them eat cake" moment to me.

[inna]

47. agreed

[zonkers]

66. I think this event is epic enough for someone to say something.

[Freddie Stubbs]

67. Apparently President Obama doesn't think so

[demosincebirth]

13. Jerry Brown is the Governer of California not the fucking Mayor of Oakland. I

guess you would like complete anarchy

[coalition_unwilling]

17. Um, Oakland is a city in California last time I checked (and Brown isthe former Mayor of Oakland). I

guess you embrace authoritarianism. You know something, I'm not really interested in hearing your response. Buh-bye and good riddance.

[SammyWinstonJack]

23. Good call.

:thumbsup:

[inna]

45. well guess what, he *was* the fucking mayor of Oakland the first time this shit happened:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2186241


Moreover, he *ordered* that particular atrocity (nearly *identical* in terms of police actions and mind-blowingly unjustified) 8 years ago.

I see his fingerprints all over this (although it is clear that "go" was given at the higher level).

[Scuba]

2. Was there an element of racism?

[seabeyond]

3. like wth seperation of state, each area is their won in handling. just cause it is a liberal state

does not make all areas of calif progressive. this is really what people have to remember as they bash just certain states. never has worked that way. not one state is all evil, and one all good.

interesting to see if browm speaks up, and how this progresses.

NY is liberal, yet mayor allowed violence, then they stepped it back

[Nuclear Unicorn]

15. Oakland-San Francisco id pretty darned progressive

This feels like a betrayal.

Even if the protesters were to be sent out under no camping laws the heavy-handedness of it all seems like a betrayal. I would have expected this in Texas or Florida or even Wisconsin; but Oakland?

[TBF]

19. If you think Wisconsin is equivalent to Texas and Florida you have a lot of catching up to do. nt

[Nuclear Unicorn]

52. Not so much conservative as much as ruled by the GOP

That's all.

Sorry if I gave you a start.

[TBF]

57. My homeland :)

Prefer to think of it as a hostile takeover. Hoping now that folks have woken up the progressive spirit will show in the recall.

[seabeyond]

61. oakland has it's own history. it may be connected to SF, but it isnt SF. nt

[2pooped2pop]

5. I think if we look at all of their campaign and other donations

we will find someone bankrolling and calling the shots. Find the common denominator of the gifts to the city or directly to campaigns of the mayors of Atlanta, Boston, San Francisco and Oakland. Someone is getting scared and gave the orders to put a stop to us.

[demosincebirth]

6. Ogawa Plaza had become a rat infested, drug dealing, crime attracting park, directly

in front of City Hall. We just seem to start something good and peaceful then we allow unsavory elements in, until it becomes a public nuisance. People will look at this from two different sides and have different opinions. This is mine by what I've read and seen.

[Arctic Dave]

10. WTF? Do you have something to back up your claim?

[demosincebirth]

18. Check my profile. I live there.

[Arctic Dave]

21. So. Do you have a picture or a news article.

I live in Alaska and we all use dog sleds and live in igloos. I said so.

[demosincebirth]

48. Better than that... first eye witness. Besides, many , I guess you too, don't trust

the MSM to give accurate news reports, so here I am giving you a first hand a semi-report and "wa la, you want reports from the MSM, whom you probably don't trust. What can I say. BTW, don't try and get me into furthering this discussion

[Arctic Dave]

54. Nothing?

[coalition_unwilling]

12. Reporters who visited the Oakland camp found its walkways

neat and tidy prior to the OPD assault, with fresh straw strewn across paved walkways. I don't know b/c I wasn't there, so can only rely upon non-aligned media reports.

[Luminous Animal]

36. I've been there and that report is accurate. It was a clean, well maintained site.

It broke my heart to see it trashed by the cops.

[rms013]

40. Not So

My daughter was there and the only "public nuisance" was the inconvenience of the citizenry exercising their first amendment rights.

[TBF]

7. The 1% are not split into factions - they are unified. They are going to

urge their employees (the police and military) to crack down everywhere.

Why Oakland? This is an area where riots have happened fairly recently. Racial issues, class issues. They come down harder on lower income neighborhoods - always.

[Modern_Matthew]

8. No one has taken pics of their penis, yet... thankfully. Only then can we expect a resignation. nt

[2pooped2pop]

35. lol +10 n/t

[ProgressiveProfessor]

11. Some are claiming the crackdown was coordinated nationwide

[Arctic Dave]

14. What has the Mayor said about this?

Seems strange to me that they would do this level of repression without authorization from City Hall.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

16. As mayors run their respective police forces I guess he said, "Go!"

[coalition_unwilling]

22. Mayor is a 'she': Jean Quan. Here's her FB page:

https://www.facebook.com/MayorJeanQuan?sk=wall&filter=1

Click on 'Everyone' to post on her page.

[Arctic Dave]

24. I read last night he was in DC and was high tailing it back to find out what

was happening.

I was thinking he may have had a presser. They may be getting their CYA in order first.

[FirstLight]

27. the POTUS was in SF yesterday

...so why didn't this happen in SF?...maybe Oakland was far enough away to 'make a point'

[2pooped2pop]

39. I thought they did raid SF

SF, Oakland, Boston and Atlanta. THat's what I thought. It's hard to keep up with what is most current. Did SF not get raided the past two nights too?

[demosincebirth]

25. The Mayor is the Boss.and is as Left as can be. She also has other to answer to.

[Arctic Dave]

29. The main ones she has to answer to is the public.

Everyone else is secondary.

[2pooped2pop]

37. The mayor thanked the police for a "peaceful" resolution of

the problem.

[Arctic Dave]

38. Where did you find that?

I've been looking for a response from Mayor.

[2pooped2pop]

42. Boy, am not sure. I've been all over the place today.

here, on the oakland livefeed,(which may be where the link was) and the NYC livefeed. I will try to find it and post it here if I do.

[coalition_unwilling]

56. Right on her stupid Facebook page (quoted below w/ link):

Many Oaklanders support the goals of the national Occupy Wall Street movement. We maintained daily communication with the protest0rs in Oakland.

However, over the last week it was apparent that neither the demonstrators nor the City could maintain safe or sanitary conditions, or control the ongoing vandalism. Frank Ogawa Plaza will continue to be open as a free speech area from 6 am to 10 pm.

We want to thank the police, fire, public works and other employees who worked over the last week to peacefully close the encampment. We also thank the majority of the protestors who peacefully complied with city officials.

I commend Chief Jordan for a generally peaceful resolution to a situation that deteriorated and concerned our community. His leadership was critical in the successful execution of this operation. City Administrator Deanna Santana developed the plan and secured mutual aid from other departments and the State of California. She will direct departmental teams, including safety, public works, communications, to restore conditions at the Plaza so that it is available for public use.

The City welcomes all Oaklanders to continue to use the Plaza during daylight hours for peaceful protest.

******************************

https://www.facebook.com/MayorJeanQuan?sk=wall&filter=2

You have to click on 'Everyone' if you wish to post to her Wall and one or more of her staffers are busily removing many of the negative comments being posted there.

[Arctic Dave]

58. Oh. Thanks.

I don't facebook so that is why I haven't been able find it.

Glad to see a democrat is so happy about crushing peaceful protest.

[coalition_unwilling]

60. I wrote a blistering comment on her FB page last night and woke

this morning to find it scrubbed and a lot of other negative comments also.

[tnlefty]

70. If that is what her definition of peaceful looks like I'd hate to see rowdy

or violence in her dictionary.

I thought what I saw was violent, but I might have missed the redefining of the words peaceful and violent. I've been kinda busy lately.

[Puregonzo1188]

20. From what I understand Oakland has a history of police brutality.

It's where Oscar Grant was from, and it was also where the Black Panthers were very active.

Not too surprised.

[mulsh]

31. The Black Panthers were a response to Oakland police violence.

Oscar Grand was murdered by a BART (transit) cop. Not the same forces. OPS has been in miserable shape most of my life. Growing up in Oakland one learned quickly the best way to deal with the cops was to avoid them as much as possible.

As far as I can remember until Oscar Grant got shot in the back BART cops hadn't killed anyone.

[demosincebirth]

34. Oakland has alway be the most Liberal City in the Bay Area and always will. Things

like this happen every so often and we seem to get over it and start again, a new.

[BrendaBrick]

65. Also, wasn't the Rodney King riot in Oakland?

[slackmaster]

26. High unemployment

Lots of people who aren't committed to being at work on work days.

[stevenleser]

30. I posted the text of the 1st amendment on her wall, along with description of the SCOTUS decision

that applies the 1st amendment to state and local governments.

[Starry Messenger]

32. It's almost always like this here.

The right-wing are so marginalized that the other capitalist party has no need to sheath its claws. Who else are we going to vote for, as people here so pithily and thuggishly ask every day?

[stevenleser]

41. To Oakland Mayor Quan:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
---------------------------
Originally, the First Amendment applied only to laws enacted by the Congress. However, starting with Gitlow v. New York, 268 U.S. 652 (1925), the Supreme Court has held that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment applies the First Amendment to each state, including any local government.

[stevenleser]

50. After posting this on her wall a few times, I've been blocked from creating new wall posts there nt

[stevenleser]

53. Not just me. Looks like she stopped anyone from posting new posts on her wall. You can still reply

to her posts though.

[TygrBright]

43. Oakland PD have long had a reputation as lawless thugs. n/t

[tex-wyo-dem]

44. Just a guess, but if you are the PTB...

looking at all of these protests around the country and want to send a message or "float a trial balloon," you probably aren't going to do forceably put down a smaller protest somewhere in the deep South...you would do it somewhere that is more liberal. A symbolic gesture, shall we say.

Oakland is a progressive city, close to the epicenter of '60s liberalism (Berkley/SF), but out of the way enough where the use of such force won't be too obvious and may be "missed" by the major media (using brunt force on the NY protests would be waaayyy too obvious).

Make no mistake, last night was a trial balloon, a test run, for what is to come in more places around the country. That's why it is so important to scream from the rooftops what happened last night NOW!

[Nuclear Unicorn]

51. In the case of Oakland that would imply TPTB control even progressive governments

I'm not sure I'm prepared to believe a dark shadowy cabal holds that much power.

[inna]

46. not the first time. flashback: exactly the same shit, 8 years ago:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2186241

[dogknob]

49. There are two notable organizations...

... that do their recruiting from billboards:

1) The Raiders cheerleaders
2) The Oakland PD

As far as the Bay-Area being progressive, I lived there for 16 years. I would describe it as mostly NIMB-eral: great with pet issues like Happy Meals, but when the homeless (they are legion) start sleeping in North Beach/Telegraph Hill, they call the cops.

[Sal Minella]

55. A historical note -- in the 'sixties, when a quiet anti-war protest march

was intending to loop into Oakland and back to Berkeley, lines of Oakland Police were standing at the Oakland-Berkeley city line on several streets. Full riot gear -- shields, batons, face guards down -- ready to club those young mothers with strollers and old ladies with walkers into submission. The marchers turned back into Berkeley and didn't force the issue.

As I remember, there was no coverage in the papers (except the Berkeley Barb, of course).

Bill Knowland (Barry Goldwater's campaign manager) was mayor of Oakland at the time so I wasn't surprised, but this one does surprise me. Maybe over-reaction to misperceived threat is just built into Oakland's DNA, somehow.

[coalition_unwilling]

59. Sal, do you ever recall hearing of a police tactic called

"The Berkeley Shuffle"? Someone told me it's a tactic developed by police in the 60s, whereby they lure protesters into an enclosed space so that they can more easily beat them up without protesters being able to escape easily. Someone on DU said he thought it was developed by Oakland police back in the 60s.

I'm just trying to satisfy my curiosity on the origins of the phrase, so any insight you have would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance! :)

[Sal Minella]

62. I don't remember that phrase, but I also don't remember a lot of

other things from the 'sixties.

This sounds like a precursor to kettling, doesn't it.

I do vaguely remember a technique in which the police stationed themselves at two intersections in an urban area and then compressed the protestors by moving toward each other, clubbing as they went. It would be the police doing the "shuffling" as they moved in on the protestors.

Short answer is: No, I don't remember.

Edit: This just showed up in another thread
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=2188667&mesg_id=2188749

[coalition_unwilling]

68. Thanks anyway for taking the trip through the smoke rings of your mind. I

thought and think the phrase might have originated in Berkeley or Oakland, given the shitty state of police-community relations back then (and that apparently continues in Oakland through today).

Definitely a precursor to today's kettling, from all I can gather. Your description of two sets of police slowly shuffling towards one another may also fit that bill, although I thought the Berkeley Shuffle had more to do with the protesters shuffling, as opposed to running, because they were penned in by the cops. But I haven't seen the person who told me about it in ages, so I'll try to locate him again for more sourcing of it.

Thanks again.

[southernyankeebelle]

63. Welcome to the real world. Our politicans on both sides have been

bought and paid for by corporations. I am afraid only riots in the streets like in VN will finally and hopefully will make the difference. I don't want to see it but you can only hold the pressure down so long before it pops. I won't be in the streets I'm to old but I don't blame the ones who are there. They are getting a bad wrap.

[yurbud]

64. if they can make the progressive of progressive local gov'ts do it, the run of the mill chamber

of commerce controlled local gov'ts will have no trouble pulling the trigger on crackdowns if the protests start to become effective.

That's the intended message.

[Taverner]

69. To send a message. Why else?