Occupy Oakland Says F**K the Police
Categories: Occupy Bay Area
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| Transcending its reputation for shittiness |
But if you are another pissed-off American, where else would you rather be than the streets of Oakland, tearing it up next to unstoppable occupiers? Tear gas, police raids, flash-bang grenades, anarchy -- what's not to like about this city?
To prove there's more to Oakland than just being a dangerous shithole, Occupy Oakland further charmed out-of-towners this past weekend when they draped themselves in fuck-the-police banners. How fun!
Of course, this led to more tension between protesters and police, who arrested a handful of demonstrators Saturday night after they marched toward the police station, protesting what they described as ongoing harassment and police abuse.
Police in riot gear met protesters outside the station, preparing for another showdown for the national media. Protesters tossed bottles and police fired bean bag bullets, later slapping handcuffs on at least six demonstrators.
Despite all this fun, there's a legion of Oakland that's getting worn down by the Occupy movement and its "misplaced energy." The anger toward big banks has somehow shifted to the local government, which incidentally has also been a victim of the financial meltdown caused by big banks. But Mayor Jean Quan's efforts to diffuse the protests have failed miserably. As a result, the Oakland's Citizens' Police Review Board is hosting a forum Feb. 9 to discuss the protests, the alleged police misconduct, and possible solutions.
"If they really want to see some changes, they need to get their ass out and vote. And get their friends to do it, too," Boardmember Thomas Cameron told the Chron. "Complaining about the police is just misplaced energy. I think a lot of these people are just being unreasonable."
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