Heavy Handed Police Tactics at Occupy Oakland

As business owners opened shop in downtown Oakland, the corner of 14th and Broadway was the scene of a tense standoff between Occupy Oakland protesters and the police. After being routed, teargassed and 90 arrested, a small crowd of 40 gathered at the gated barriers erected to keep protesters out of the park in front of City Hall. Shouting and spitting at the police line, protesters expressed their anger at what they’d witnessed in the early morning hours.

The aftermath of the police raid on the Occupy Oakland tent city. Photo courtesy Jeff Harry.

Reporters spewed from news trucks, eager to make their way though the police lines to a press conference scheduled by Mayor Quan. There, Police Chief Howard Jordan, newly appointed interim head of the department, announced that tear gas, bean bag rounds and the Long Range Acoustic Device were used on the unarmed crowd. He promised “to investigate and review” the operation which included 500-700 riot police.

Outside City Hall at about the same time, protesters opened the barricade and a rush of cops moved forward to prevent people into the park where Occupy Oakland was established. One police officer, with the number 87 on his helmet, pointed his rifle at the unarmed protesters screaming “get back, get back!” A young man got on his knees before the officer shouting, “shoot me, shoot me!” Breaking a tense moment, Captain Joyner pushed his way through the tangle of police and protesters, ordering the police to stand back in line and to secure the barrier with plastic ties.

Organizers are calling for a meeting today at 4pm at the Downtown Oakland Public Library .