Occupy Oakland: Judge Issues Restraining Order Against Protesters

Kate Conger

​Oakland officials truly upped the ante in their battle with Occupy Oakland when they secured a stay-away order for 12 protesters who were charged in connection with the weekend chaos in downtown Oakland.

The demonstrators were ordered to stay 300 feet away from Frank Ogawa Plaza, home of City Hall and once the camp grounds for Occupy Oakland until police raided the encampment. If they violate this order, they could face up to six months in jail, according to the Chron. Those charged with felonies are also ordered to stay away from the vacant Kaiser Convention Center, which protesters attempted to overtake this past weekend.

More than 400 people were arrested on Saturday after a planned Occupy rally turned violent. Protesters were hauled off to jail for a plethora of reasons, including drug offenses, breaking into City Hall, and assaulting police officers.

Defense attorneys are arguing that these stay away orders are unconstitutional, because they hinder demonstrators from participating in City Council meetings as well as Occupy Oakland.

On top of the judges order, Mayor Jean Quan said she would place a call to Occupy Wall Street, the mothership of the Occupy movement, asking the national group to "disown" Occupy Oakland.

She pointed out that this nonviolent movement has become violent in her hometown. Somehow we doubt all that violence can be traced back to those 12 people now barred from City Hall. 

Follow us on Twitter at @SFWeekly and @TheSnitchSF