Marine, Scott Olsen to Have Brain Surgery

[Ichingcarpenter]

The LA Times is reporting that Occupy Oakland Protester and veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Scott Olsen will need brain surgery to alleviate the swelling caused by the police crackdown last night in the bay city. Olsen cannot speak at this point but has shown the ability to write a little.

Olsen survived two tours in Iraq only to be struck in the head by a police projectile while peacefully protesting the state of our nation here at home. The available videotape does not show Mr. Olsen as being in any way unruly or violent. There have been reports that some occupiers were seen throwing things at the police officers. However, there are few that have seen the footage of the police raid who have not found what they viewed to be an excessive use of force. One wonders why the police showed up in riot gear to deal with unarmed citizens who were doing little more than expressing their right to freedom of speech.

Oakland Mayor (D), Janet Quan, has recently backed off of her tough talk about addressing the protesters and is promising an investigation into the circumstances that caused Olsen’s injury. It’s a shame it ever had to come to this.

Flowers and cards can be sent to:

USMC Scott Olsen
Highland Hospital
1411 East 31st Street
Oakland, CA 94602

http://current.com/community/93515240_occupy-oakland-update-marine-scott-olsen-to-have-brain-surgery.htm

[Jamastiene]

1. Surgery he would not need if the cops were really doing their jobs...

to serve and protect.

Too bad "to serve and protect" only applies to the 1%. The rest of us can be brutalized, attacked, and get our skulls cracked for daring to protest an out of control greedy government.

[pinboy3niner]

2. That's from Thursday

Later reports said he would not require brain surgery, after all.

[pacalo]

3. Thanks for the update, pinboy. That's very good news!

[Ichingcarpenter]

4. Good, Anyway We can send flowers or cards

with the address I gave

[pinboy3niner]

6. Thanks for the address...

...but you might want to edit your subject line, as it doesn't accurately represent the current situation.

[Pastiche423]

5. Scott is no longer at Highland Hospital

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/east_bay&id=8411243

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Scott Olsen, the 25-year-old Iraq war veteran who was injured by a projectile during Tuesday's "Occupy Oakland" demonstration, remains in fair condition.

On Saturday, a spokesperson for Highland Hospital told ABC7 News that Olsen, at the request of his insurance carrier, had been transferred to another undisclosed hospital.

The spokesperson also said documentary filmmaker Michael Moore tried to visit Olsen on Saturday. The hospital said the family has asked for Olsen's privacy and asked Moore not to try to visit Olsen and the hospital again.

"We have a very, very polite message to Mr. Moore: Mr. Olsen is not here," the hospital spokesperson said, "and if you do find out where he is, the Olsen family doesn't want you to come there either."

Moore briefly visited the "Occupy San Francisco" camp at Justin Herman Plaza on Saturday, one day after speaking in front of a large crowd of Occupy supporers at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland.

Olsen was injured by a flying projectile when police clashed with Occupy demonstrators Tuesday evening. Oakland police have said they weren't responsible for the projectile that was thrown in Olsen's direction.

[Fumesucker]

7. I've watched a video of that incident frame by frame..

The projectile is clearly visible leaving the hands of a police officer and arcing toward the crowd around Olsen.

Here is a still from the video, the yellow arrow on the right points to the projectile shortly after it left the hand of an officer.

[roguevalley]

8. send the bill to Quan