FOLLOW UP: Oakland PD Claimed "Sexual Assault, a Beating, Fire" and "Paramedics Denied Access."

[vets74]

We also heard through local resources that OPD had tips that Occupy Oakland members had weapons. That specific claim was what led to the escalation of threat assessment, leading to adopting the "turtle gear" body armor and authorization to fire projectiles.

Police managers are required to do detailed threat assessments. In New York this started out badly in September, 2011, with OWS NYC marches treated a step below active crime scenes. This was similar to streets where shots had been fired.

You can get a clear view of how police chiefs and other top managers view these problems.

Managing Major Events - Best Practices from the Field

Police Executive Research Forum, Washington, D.C. 20036
ISBN: 978-1-934485-15-6

PERF is as steady an organization as you will find in any professional field. Getting middle management to follow competent leadership? This is a problem in every organization. That being said, we have different levels of corroboration for each of the specific claims:

1. Sexual Assault - there is one credible report that describes an attempt at sexual coersion. Residents put a stop to it. Several verbal/name-calling events occurred. No idea whether those were sexually based or not.

2. Severe Beating - not validated.

3. Fire - reported but hearsay not by eye witness.

4. Paramedics Denied Access - not validated.

5. Weapons - not validated. Not one firearm identified on-site or seized during the street action. Not one firearm arrest in the whole of the area. Apparently no knives though you never know with several dozen homeless people in the mix -- they do have different needs from the most of us.

We had seen a similar concern for the fire hazard at OWS NYC. Nothing had been done to cage the generators and gasoline was sitting around in plastic containers that resembled gallon milk cartons. Any right wing loon with a slow-fuse igniter/cap could have come in middle of the night and set off a major explosion. One one-hundredth of an Oklahoma City bombing would still be one helluva blast.

Vaporized gasoline has the same kind of energy for an explosion as dynamite. It is perfect for domestic terrorism. After the example of the provocateur-incited riot at Air and Space Museum in D.C., police have to take anti-OWS criminal acts into account in their plans. Same for fire departments.

FDNY came in, made contact with OWS NYC security, and removed offending generators and fuel containers. No violence. No confrontation. Nobody yelling at FDNY. OWS NYC got treated like a rock concert promoter who failed to read the fire regulations. Man up and move on....

Bottom Line at Oakland

The Oakland Police Department belief that Occupy Oakland had weapons -- guns in particular -- was based on tips.

We should read those tips as designed provocateur actions. Parts of criminal schemes, conspiracies to turn Occupy protests away from the grand tradition of Dr. King and the continuing Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Schemes that must darken the reputation of Occupy to achieve their goals.

Dr. King and SCLC and Gandhi are how you win these wars. A willingness to die, yes. A willingness to kill or to engage in physical battle, no way.



No-no-no.



This is not the way.

I was trained to a standard protocol (aka, check list) by SCLC in Alchua, Florida, prior to a march to Gainesville. Then we walked. Dr. King was with us at the start and at the end.

During the walk we heard bullets in the air above us. Signals to us and to the world that the black-hearted racism of the KKK was there.

SCLC never did anything like that. Testosterone bloat is not what works.

Occupy faces the same tactical problem. Criminals had used intimidation and murder to beat down Black Southerners for generations back into slavery. Criminals, today, have used their political influence, now, to protect themselves from prosecution for massive multi-trillion dollar theft and fraud -- the causes of the Depression of 2008.

Like SCLC, Occupy must succeed. Otherwise, America sinks into empire and madness.

Otherwise we of the 99% will driven down to slavery.

[msongs]

1. police will tell any lie necessary to initiate and defend their actions nt

[vets74]

2. That's silly.

The tips were generated external to Oakland PD.

Also, Occupy Oakland had not set up a structured liaison with OPD. That makes all the difference for OWS NYC.

[formercia]

4. The police could always just stop by and ask.

Perhaps the disconnect is intentional, perhaps it's not. One of the disadvantages to not having leadership.

[Odin2005]

3. There will ALWAYS be a few ne'er-do-wells. I hate the McPravda BSers...

...using isolated incidents to bash the Occupiers. :grr:

[vets74]

5. We're waiting for the Air & Space Museum story to blow up.

Investigation -> results.

[pintobean]

6. You'll be waiting forever

since you IDed the wrong guy.