Posted 12 years ago on Jan. 31, 2012, 8:58 a.m. EST by OccupyWallSt
On Saturday, January 28, thousands of parents, families and engaged citizens gathered together to open a community center in the heart of downtown Oakland. The Police, under orders from Mayor Quan, responded to this peaceful demonstration of direct democracy and community building by arresting around 400 people. Hundreds more were injured when an army of officers marched on these unarmed families, raised their guns and fired bullets, tear gas canisters, smoke bombs, concussion grenades and other explosive devices into the crowd. Mayor Quan, on the same day as solidarity marches were organized by dozens of occupations across the nation, has called on the Occupy Movement to denounce Oakland’s show of bravery under fire and community strength. We stand with Oakland and call for the immediate resignation of Quan, who on Saturday made it clear that the state has abandoned democracy and joined the 1% in declaring war against the people.
Extreme economic injustice and true democracy can never co-exist. We have seen this violent truth before: in Pinochet’s Chile, 1990’s Russia, Suharto’s Indonesia. Four months ago, the Occupy Movement showed that this historical truth has finally come home: The economic oppression by the 1% has become so egregious that it cannot exist without destroying the spirit of the American democratic system. Across the country, people are rising up to demand a more just nation, and police brutality and state violence are the only things keeping this injustice in place. In Oakland, thousands of active community members chose to engage in true democracy by supporting the real and pressing needs of the people. The state, which supposedly represents these people, exercised extreme police brutality and violence to protect the 1%'s vacant assets. The explicit goal of the action was to build community—to open a desperately needed community center with a library, medical care, free education and emergency housing in a city that has suffered massive budget cuts, high unemployment rates and ravaged public schools. In response, the city government poured hundreds of thousands of dollars, bullets and canisters of tear gas into declaring open war on these parents, students, workers, artists, teachers, children and veterans. These people’s only offense was to believe so deeply in the American tradition of democracy, self-sufficiency, and sacrifice for the next generation that they were willing to put their bodies on the line to make this nation the empowering democracy that we know it can be.
On Saturday, Mayor Quan's actions again demonstrated that open war has been declared on the spirit of democracy and the people of Oakland and this nation. We call for the end of Mayor Quan's administration and a regime change in Oakland. We continue to stand in solidarity with Occupy Oakland and will support them as they continue peaceful protest and community building until this and all other authoritarian administrations have been ousted from their place of illegitimate power. Together, we are building a stronger world, a stronger community, a stronger promise for the next generation.
Posted 12 years ago on Jan. 30, 2012, 11:42 a.m. EST by OccupyWallSt
In the wake of a recent Congressional hearing on Occupy DC, misleading threats from Mayor Vince Gray about nonexistent "health" concerns in the park, and yesterday's taser attack that hospitalized a resident of the park, the National Park Service has given Occupiers in McPherson Square and Freedom Plaza until 12:00 noon today until they will begin enforcing a no-camping ban. Occupy DC has begun preparing nonviolent resistance and is calling for all supporters to join them.
Tents and other belongings have been piled in the center of the camp so that police cannot pick off individuals, while others are planning civil disobedience in defense of their home and our collective right to protest economic inequality! Watch Twitter feeds for #OccupyDC, #McPhersonSQ, #defend99, #J30, @Occupy_DC, and @OccupyDCAction. If you can't make it to McPherson, you can phone blast the Park Police at 202-610-7500. As @OccupyKSt tweeted:
One more time: we refuse to accept a world where you have to pay somebody just to take up space. We have no homes. Let us keep our park.
Live Updates:
10:00am, Tuesday Jan 31: The Tent of Dreams still stands. No arrests. Occupiers spent the night resting and playing games. There is a 10AM hearing for Occupy DC's injunction against NPS at 333 Constitution Ave NW. Lawyer invites Occupiers to come support.Read More...
Posted 12 years ago on Jan. 30, 2012, 7:17 a.m. EST by OccupyWallSt
Sunday morning, while the National Park Service police were handing out "no camping" notices to McPherson Square, an occupier at Occupy DC was tazed apparently for walking near his home. The tazing resulted in a seizure - most likely due to a pre-existing medical condition. Witnesses say the victim attempted to notify the police about his medical condition but the police initially blocked his request for an ambulance. He was eventually sent to a hospital. The attacking officer's name is allegedly Lemke - NPS badge number #398.
Posted 12 years ago on Jan. 29, 2012, 9:10 p.m. EST by OccupyWallSt
As of 8pm EST, actions are currently happening or planned in response to extreme police violence used against Occupy Oakland yesterday in New York City, Boston, Toronto, Vancouver, Melbourne, Oslo, Philadelphia, DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, Portland, Tampa, Indianapolis, New Haven, Orlando, Jackson, Des Moines, Hollywood, Baltimore, Portland ME, Tulsa, Denver, St. Louis, Eugene, Nashville, and Detroit. We have also received word that the Bank of Ideas in London is being raided!
Police Chief Howard Jordan has been quoted in AP saying there were almost 400 people arrested yesterday. There are many people who were arrested that need urgent medical attention, people who have been injured by the police or do not have their medication with them that they need to treat prior conditions. We need the money to bail these people out!
Many people who have medical needs were unable to prevent themselves from being arrested, or to retrieve their medication, because the police did not give a dispersal order– they just kettled. We are still gathering names.
Our bail funds have been dwindling significantly as a result of the police backlash against occupy oakland in the last month, if you are able, PLEASE donate – 10, 50, 100, whatever you can!
