Occupy Oakland Vigil Raided, Several Arrested

05 January 2012 Hellaoccupyoakland

Cops surround and raid peaceful Occupy Oakland vigil. Photo courtesy of
@alyssa011968.Around 11:30p.m. on Wednesday night, a contingent of about
60 police in riot gear appeared at the Occupy Oakland vigil in Oscar Grant
Plaza and arrested about eight to twelve people, many of whom are members
of the media team. The police abruptly left after “destroying everything”
at the peaceful vigil, and no reason was given for the sudden raid and
arrests. A small group of a dozen (which soon grew to forty) Occupiers
immediately marched to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office to protest the
random arrests and show support for those being held in custody. They were
told by a group of police in front of the jail that if they came closer,
they would also be arrested.

The mainstream media is speculating that the small raid was a response to
a dispute between Occupy Oakland protestors and the police over the permit
for our 24/7 vigil, which was revoked following the cops’ complaints about
the presence of trash cans and people sharing food near the information
table.

There is at least one report that eyewitnesses saw police comparing
targeted protestors to photos before making the arrests, which is
consistent with stories of police surveillance of Occupy Oakland
protestors. These arrests also follow months of harassment of Occupy
Oakland by Oakland police, harassment which seems to have intensified in
the past few weeks. Reasons for some of the most recent arrests include
carrying a yoga mat and having a bike in the plaza.

Photo courtesy of @alyssa011968.




Update on 1/4/12 Raid and Arrests, New Arrests, Video

05 January 2012 hellaoccupyoakland

Police Raid Photographing Occupy Oakland protestors

OPD photographs, then arrests Occupy Oakland protestors

The past couple of weeks have marked a disturbing rise in arrests of
Occupy Oakland protestors in Oscar Grant Plaza. Last night was no
exception, as cops in riot gear arrested over a dozen vigilers suddenly
and without apparent cause. Other Occupiers immediately mobilized,
gathering in the plaza and outside of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office,
where they were told to leave.

Occupy Oakland Media’s Adam and Anti Repression Committee’s Laleh on KPFA
discussing the arrests

Members of the Interfaith tent called for an autonomous action at 2pm
today at City Hall to demand the release of all arrestees and an end to
the persecution of protestors. In response, City Hall locked its doors and
would not let anyone into the building. Two more protestors, Lawrence
“Toby” Barton and Greg Fernandez, were arrested when the doors suddenly
opened and cops appeared, adding to the numbers of Occupiers now in jail.

We’ve learned that those arrested last night were charged with “resisting,
delaying, or obstructing an officer,” even though there were many others
present and at least two people were followed by cops and arrested as they
crossed the street in a peaceful attempt to avoid a confrontation with
authorities. A legal status update from the Occupy Oakland Anti-Repression
Committee on OccupyOakland.org states:

Naomi, Svend, Knowledge, Dominic, Adam, Bunny, Stephanie & Nneka have
all been charged with misdemeanor obstruction (148) [they’ve added a
second misdemeanor for Stephanie] and will be arraigned tomorrow
morning at 9am in Dept 107. Bail is set at $5000 for all of them
except Stephanie whose bail is $10,000.

Ali has also been charged with an additional felony. His arraignment
is tomorrow at 2pm in Dept 112. His bail is set at $15,000.

Chris has also been charged with 2 additional felonies. His
arraignment is Monday at 2pm in Dept 112. His bail is set at $25,000.

Sean has also been charged with 1 additional felony. His arraignment
is Monday at 2pm in Dept 112. His bail is set at $30,000.

WHAT YOU CAN DO!

1) Let’s flood the numbers below with calls and bring as much pressure
today as we can so that they drop charges tomorrow morning. Get
everyone you know to call…

Nancy O’Malley (Alameda District Attorney): (510) 272-6222

Jean Quan (Mayor): (510) 238-3301

Deanna Santana (City Administrator): (510) 238-3301

Howard Jordan (Chief of Police): (510) 238-3076

2) Make sure to attend the arraignments tomorrow!!

http://www.facebook.com/events/305210996187282/

Stay Strong and Support your comrades!!!

Solidarity,

Anti-Repression Committee

Most of those arrested last night were members of the Occupy Oakland media
team, and many believe they were purposefully targeted. Media team member
Adam Katz (@geekeasy) was among those taken in last night. Adam was
released at 2pm today along with one other person. Here is Adam’s
firsthand video of his own arrest, as well as video of an officer filming
him one day prior.




Occupier faces lynching charges

03 January 2012 hellaoccupyoakland.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 2 – Oakland, CA – Deanna Santana, Oakland’s City Manager has been
clear that it is no longer her intent to prevent violence or to prevent
illegal lodging, but instead that her goal is to now “clear the plaza.”
[1] The harassment of protesters reached a point where they are now
ticketing occupiers for having a bike in the plaza; the citation simply
said “bike”. They are interpreting Oakland Municipal Code 9.16.010 so
broadly, that they feel justified in arresting anyone for having anything
in the plaza. But they are selectively enforcing these laws, and only
citing and arresting occupiers. These police actions constitute
deliberate and blatant repression of Occupy Oakland.

On Friday, December 30, Oakland police raid city hall plaza under orders
from city hall. They tell everyone to gather their things and leave. But
moments later, without warning, the police begin arresting people. A
woman is grabbed by police for having a yoga mat under her arm, and taking
some food off a table. An officer clearly states that they are arresting
people for “having property in the plaza without a permit.” [2]

It’s now illegal to have a yoga mat or a bike in front of city hall?

Shortly after these first three arrests, the police rush back into a group
of protesters and forcibly grab Tiffany Tran, a small Asian woman. A
policeman says she was arrested for says “instigating that first one …
when you cause other people to be arrested, then you get arrested too.”
[3]

According to the combined statements of the police on the scene, Tiffany
Tran was arrested for instigating other people to have property in the
plaza.

All of the arrestees are held in hot van without water or food for 8 hours
before they are taken to Santa Rita prison. At the prison, 13 hours after
first being arrested Tiffany is charged with the crime of “lynching”.

The anti-lynching California law dates back to 1933, and was created
seeking to prevent white vigilante mobs from taking black prisoners away
from “peace officers”, such that these racist mobs could hang black
prisoners without trial.

But today, the situation has been reversed. The police are no longer
“peace officers” trying to protect and serve. The police are now the ones
engaged in brutal repression of peaceful citizens. And the same law, and
same punishment, which was designed to try to prevent racist mobs from
hanging people, is now being used against Tiffany Tran.

In a phone call with her boyfriend, Tiffany reported that the guards are
singling her out for abuse because of her connections with Occupy. The
guards are hurling constant verbal abuse at her. In two days, she’s
barely been fed.

Tiffany will be arraigned Tuesday at 2pm. We call on the district
attorney to immediately drop all charges against Tiffany Tran.

District Attorney: (510) 272-6222

We also call on the City Manager and Mayor of Oakland to immediately stop
in their repression of peaceful protesters at Occupy Oakland.

City Administrator: (510) 238-3301
Mayor:(510)238-3141

References: