oakland protests

[Guest guest]

the oakland police were totally out of line..they called it an unlawful assembly, and immediately started firing...not at the ground, but at people..i saw people fall screaming...they shot tear gas and concussion grenades..against people who we marchinbg in a circle or just standing there..

they had their billy clubs out ..

the cops said they felt pressured and felt their lives were in danger?? wot the?? they said we were throwing rocks and bolts? umm..i was there...the only people i saw throwing anything only did it after the cops started SHOOTING at us, and most of us were busy tryin to get the heck out of the way

it was insane....

the cops did the job for us tho, as the longshoremen went on strike after the incident..

 

 

(04-07) 10:42 PDT OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) --

 

Police opened fire with non-lethal projectiles at an anti-war protest at

the Port of Oakland on Monday morning, injuring at least six demonstrators and

six longshoremen standing nearby.

 

Most of the 2000 demonstrators at the port were dispersed peacefully, but

police opened fire at two gates when protesters refused to move and police said

some of them threw rocks and bolts. The longshoremen, pinned against a fence,

were caught in the line of fire.

 

Demonstrators said they targeted the port because at least one company

there is handling war supplies. They said it was the first time they had been

fired upon in Bay area protests since the Iraq war began last month.

 

"Oakland police are being the most aggressive of any department I've seen

in the Bay Area since the war began," said protester Damien McAnany, a database

manager. "The San Francisco Police Department never used any of this stuff

against us."

 

Oakland Police said at least 24 people were arrested.

 

"Some people were blocking port property and the port authorities asked

us to move them off," said Deputy Police Chief Patrick Haw. "Police moved

aggressively against crowds because some people threw rocks and big iron bolts

at officers."

 

Police spokeswoman Danielle Ashford said officers fired bean-bag rounds

and wooden dowels. They also used "sting balls," which send out a spray of

BB-sized rubber pellets and a cloud of tear gas.

 

"When they hit you, it feels like a bee sting," Haw said.

 

Six longshoremen were treated by paramedics, as were at least six

protesters. Injuries included bruises and welts.

 

"I was standing as far back as I could," said longshoremen Kevin Wilson.

"It was very scary. All of that force wasn't necessary."

 

Trent Willis, a business agent for the International Longshore and

Warehouse Union, said enraged dockworkers were leaving the docks after the

incident.

 

"They shot my guys. We're not going to work today," Willis said. "The

cops had no reason to open up on them."

 

Last week, a San Francisco-based peace group, Direct Action to Stop the

War, had announced that it would stage a series of protests Monday involving

new acts of civil disobedience.

 

Protests also took place Monday at the federal building in San Francisco

and at the Concord Naval Weapons Station. And seven people were arrested when

they temporarily blocked an exit ramp off Interstate 280 in San Francisco.

 

 

 

--------

On the Net:

Protest organizers, www.actagainstwar.org/

[Guest guest]

Hi Fraggle

 

> the oakland police were totally out of line..they called it an unlawful assembly, and immediately started firing...not at the ground,

> but at people..i saw people fall screaming...they shot tear gas and concussion grenades..against people who we marchinbg in a

> circle or just standing there..

Well that certainly never made it to the UK news - not surprising really, since we're not hearing about any peace demos anywhere -even when 750,000 people marched through London last time (the biggest wartime anti-war demo in the UK), all it got was "there was an anti-war protest in Londond today, now onto the other news".

 

BB

Peter

 

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[Guest guest]

Scary Fraggle. Well done though.

 

My daughter was amongst a crowd that went to Oxford Street after the last 'big' anti-war demo in London. After they had blocked the road for a while they were charged by the police with their riot shields. Eventually the police baton-charged them! Naturally they ran, and disappeared into the crowds at Oxford Circus. As far as I am aware that has never been mentioned in the media.

 

Jo

 

-

EBbrewpunx

lettucegrowingtreehuggers ; TFHB ;

Tuesday, April 08, 2003 4:45 PM

oakland protests

the oakland police were totally out of line..they called it an unlawful assembly, and immediately started firing...not at the ground, but at people..i saw people fall screaming...they shot tear gas and concussion grenades..against people who we marchinbg in a circle or just standing there..they had their billy clubs out ..the cops said they felt pressured and felt their lives were in danger?? wot the?? they said we were throwing rocks and bolts? umm..i was there...the only people i saw throwing anything only did it after the cops started SHOOTING at us, and most of us were busy tryin to get the heck out of the wayit was insane....the cops did the job for us tho, as the longshoremen went on strike after the incident..(04-07) 10:42 PDT OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Police opened fire with non-lethal projectiles at an anti-war protest atthe Port of Oakland on Monday morning, injuring at least six demonstrators andsix longshoremen standing nearby. Most of the 2000 demonstrators at the port were dispersed peacefully, butpolice opened fire at two gates when protesters refused to move and police saidsome of them threw rocks and bolts. The longshoremen, pinned against a fence,were caught in the line of fire. Demonstrators said they targeted the port because at least one companythere is handling war supplies. They said it was the first time they had beenfired upon in Bay area protests since the Iraq war began last month. "Oakland police are being the most aggressive of any department I've seenin the Bay Area since the war began," said protester Damien McAnany, a databasemanager. "The San Francisco Police Department never used any of this stuffagainst us." Oakland Police said at least 24 people were arrested. "Some people were blocking port property and the port authorities askedus to move them off," said Deputy Police Chief Patrick Haw. "Police movedaggressively against crowds because some people threw rocks and big iron boltsat officers." Police spokeswoman Danielle Ashford said officers fired bean-bag roundsand wooden dowels. They also used "sting balls," which send out a spray ofBB-sized rubber pellets and a cloud of tear gas. "When they hit you, it feels like a bee sting," Haw said. Six longshoremen were treated by paramedics, as were at least sixprotesters. Injuries included bruises and welts. "I was standing as far back as I could," said longshoremen Kevin Wilson."It was very scary. All of that force wasn't necessary." Trent Willis, a business agent for the International Longshore andWarehouse Union, said enraged dockworkers were leaving the docks after theincident. "They shot my guys. We're not going to work today," Willis said. "Thecops had no reason to open up on them." Last week, a San Francisco-based peace group, Direct Action to Stop theWar, had announced that it would stage a series of protests Monday involvingnew acts of civil disobedience. Protests also took place Monday at the federal building in San Franciscoand at the Concord Naval Weapons Station. And seven people were arrested whenthey temporarily blocked an exit ramp off Interstate 280 in San Francisco. --------On the Net: Protest organizers, www.actagainstwar.org/

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