Deaths at Occupy camps bring pressure for shutdown

Notice the corporate media re-framing the Occupy Movement in this article.
See how the authorities are blaming the Occupy movement for society's
problems instead of working with them to address the problems.

Governments are spending their resources policing and raiding the
encampments that are serving free food, first aid and other resources to
anyone who comes by. Where government comes up short, people have
organized themselves and now governments are trying to destroy that
effort. I imagine there will be more articles like this one to come.

Since the writing of this article UC Berkeley police shot and killed a
student on campus, unrelated to, but on the same day as an estimated
10,000 people held protests there.

pirate



Deaths at Occupy camps bring pressure for shutdown

msnbc.com staff and news service reports
updated 11/12/2011

OAKLAND, Calif. — City leaders across the U.S. felt increasing pressure
Friday to shut down Occupy protest encampments after two men died in
shootings and two others were found dead inside their tents this week.

One was found dead Friday inside a tent at the Occupy Salt Lake City
encampment, from what police said was a combination of drug use and carbon
monoxide from a propane heater.

On Thursday, a man was shot and killed at the Occupy Oakland camp in
California, and a military veteran apparently shot himself to death in a
tent at an encampment in Burlington, Vermont.

The deaths come after a 53-year-old man was found dead inside a tent at
the Occupy New Orleans encampment on Tuesday. The Times-Picayune newspaper
reported that he appeared to have been dead for two days.

Some officials have responded with both pleas and orders for protesters to
leave.

Citing a strain on crime-fighting resources, police asked Occupy Oakland
protesters to leave their encampment at the City Hall plaza where the man
was shot and killed late Thursday.

The Oakland Police Officer's Association issued an open letter saying the
camp is pulling officers away from crime-plagued neighborhoods.
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"With last night's homicide, in broad daylight, in the middle of rush
hour, Frank Ogawa Plaza is no longer safe," the letter said. "Please leave
peacefully, with your heads held high, so we can get police officers back
to work fighting crime in Oakland neighborhoods."

On Friday night, police said, one man sought in connection with the
Oakland shooting was a frequent resident of the Occupy Oakland encampment.

Oakland police also handed out eviction notices, but angry campers tore
them all up, according to a report in the Oakland Tribune.

Since the shooting, anonymous fliers have been posted around the
encampment urging protesters to leave.

"Occupiers, turn on your brains and see the harm you are causing to our
town," it says. "You have devolved into mob rule. You have lost sight of
the goal."

City Council President Larry Reid said outside City Hall that the shooting
was further proof the tents must come down. He was confronted by a
protester who said he wouldn't be in office much longer.

"You didn't elect me," Reid snapped back. "You probably ain't even
registered to vote!"

Reid said the encampment has been a major setback for the area while
attracting sex offenders, mentally ill and homeless people, and
anarchists.

"This is no longer about Occupy Wall Street," he said. "This is about
occupying Oakland and extracting whatever you can get out of Oakland by
holding our city hostage."

The Oakland shooting occurred the same day the 35-year-old military
veteran apparently fatally shot himself in the head in a tent at the
Vermont encampment.

The shooting raised questions about whether the protest would be allowed
to continue, said Burlington police Deputy Chief Andi Higbee.

"Our responsibility is to keep the public safe. When there is a discharge
of a firearm in a public place like this, it's good cause to be concerned,
greatly concerned," Higbee said.
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In the Salt Lake City protest camp, the discovery of the dead man,
believed to be in his 40s, led police to order all protesters to leave the
park where they have camped for weeks.

Group organizers said many of the roughly 150 protesters plan to go to
jail rather than leave.

"We don't even know if this is a tragedy or just natural," protest
organizer Jesse Fruhwirth said. "They're scapegoating Occupy."

Tensions were also high at the 300-tent encampment in Portland, Oregon,
which has become a hub for the city's homeless people and addicts.

Mayor Sam Adams ordered the camp shut down by midnight Saturday, pointing
to two non-fatal drug overdoses at the camp.

"I cannot wait for someone to die," he said. "I cannot wait for someone to
use the camp as camouflage to inflict bodily harm on others."

Many at the camp said they would resist any effort to remove them.

"There will be a variety of tactics used," said organizer Adriane DeJerk,
26. "No social movement has ever been successful while being completely
peaceful."