Northbay Uprising - Information for the liberated zones of the San Pablo Bay

2011-10-26 "Live Blog: Library Director refused to close main library during protests" from Oakland Tribune. Staff writers Sean Maher, Cecily Burt and Angela Woodall contributed to this report.
[http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_19188125?nclick_check=1&forced=true]
A handful of protesters and police remain Wednesday morning in Frank Ogawa Plaza in downtown Oakland. On Tuesday night, 1,000 protesters clashed with police after two Occupy Oakland encampments were dismantled earlier in the day.

10:35 a.m. "Library director kept main library open during protests" report by Sean Maher -
During the Tuesday afternoon rally, as about 500 people gathered outside the city's main library at 14th and Madison streets, organizers announced that police "called the library in anticipation of our gathering and asked them to shut it down. They said, 'No,' because they know what side they are on."
The crowd exploded into cheers. On Wednesday morning, library Director Carmen Martinez said the City had supported her decision to keep the library open.
In the early afternoon Tuesday, hours before the protest arrived at the library steps, City Administrator Deanna Santana called Martinez and asked how she wanted to handle the situation, Martinez said.
"I said that we are a symbol of civil society for a lot of groups, including this one, and the folks who protested against the libraries budget cuts, and we will remain open as along as service can be continued without disruption," Martinez said. "Deanna said she understood and respected that."
Police also called to ask if the library needed any help or backup, Martinez said, but she declined.
At about 5 p.m., however, with the crowd already shutting down an entire block
of 14th Street, Santana called back with information that a second group was on its way and could make it impossible for library staff to leave, Martinez said, so the library ended up closing a half-hour early.
Nonetheless, Martinez said, the library remains "a symbol of gathering for 1st Amendment issues. We welcome everyone unconditionally."

10:10 a.m. "Plaza fenced off" -
A 6-foot chain-link fence is being put up by workers around Frank Ogawa Plaza, where the tent city was dismantled yesterday by police. A red sign on the fence reads "Please Keep Out of Planting Area".

8:25 a.m. "Calm returns to Frank Ogawa Plaza" report by Hannah Dreier -
The protest seems to be dispersing, not growing. Some of the protesters said earlier that they were waiting for BART to open, and now appear to have gone home. Their numbers are holding steady at about a dozen people.
Charlie Mac, 20, is one of them. He was arrested last night, just got out of jail and is still wearing a wristband. Mac lives with his grandmother in West Oakland, but had camped out in the tent city since Oct. 18.
His grandmother is in the dark: "I don't know what she knows about this, because I haven't told her anything."
He was a protester at last year's Oscar Grant protest. "I was just there to be there -- I didn't know what it was about."
He's at this protest because he wants a job.
He says the police hurt him last night, and that he was one of the ones yelling at police. "I bet as soon as the media leave the cops are gonna start back up."
Lano Rice, 29, from North Oakland, was standing next to woman in a wheelchair when police threw a tear gas device under her chair.
They kicked it away. "But it kept sparking and smoking and me and another gentleman took her and went around the corner, but we came right back."
"I wasn't scared, I was disappointed that they would do something like that."

7:10 a.m. "Downtown returns to life without tent city" report by Hannah Dreier -
Light traffic now flowing on Broadway and a steady stream of people in and out of BART. Street cleaners are out and people opening shops. A man is pressure-cleaning the closed plaza.
Matt, who didn't give his last name, came here from San Francisco this morning to help out. He brought a broom and spent a while sweeping up broken glass.
"Some jerks that were here threw some bottles and just cause someone wants to mess things up doesn't mean we shouldn't take some responsibility. The point isn't to make a mess and trash the city," he said.
Filipe Arenas, 56, was waiting for a bus to Jack London Square (to Amtrak) next to the protest. He saw the "Cali united against policy brutality" banner hanging on the plaza barricade and assumed this was an anti- brutality event.
"It's not about police brutality? If it's about economic justice I'd think more unemployed people would protest."
Adam Alvarado, 31, lives around the corner. "They're protesting the bailouts, I think?"
He's taking BART to work. This station was closed yesterday, but he didn't mind going to the Lake Merritt station instead. "I have options, luckily."
A city worker, who didn't want to give her name, has been ignoring the saga outside her office.
"I guess I just come to work here and then I go home."

6:25 a.m. "'Stupid people who were provoking the cops'" report by Hannah Dreier -
Michael Porter, 24, works full time selling DirectTV, has camped at the Occupy Oakland site for the last 8 days.
He was disheartened to see everyone disperse last night-- down to 30 people after 3 a.m.
"We lost a lot of them because of the tear gas. And it was because of stupid people who were provoking the cops. It's random people who see a big group and are like, 'let's start a riot.' All it takes is one thing and it's like let's gas everyone. And I kind of understand where the cops are coming from as far as responding to signs of aggression. That's why we've got to keep those people out."
He's hanging around hoping to educate newcomers this morning about not provoking the police. Then he's going to sleep in his own bed for the first time in a week and then, he says, come back down.
Why? "I've always been told to be the change you want to see; I want to see more people come out"
Up to a dozen protesters, all men right now.
A plate window across the street shattered around what looks like a rubber bullet hole. Protesters telling police one of them owes someone a new window.

Wednesday, 5:45 a.m. "The morning after" report by Robert Salonga -
Protesters are outnumbered by media and police this morning at Frank Ogawa Plaza outside City Hall in downtown Oakland. There are 11 protesters, a dozen police and the same number of reporters and photographers.
The plaza is relatively quiet, with protesters milling about and lightly taunting police. One protester is advocating for California secession and another warning that the media have ties to Chevron.
One officer is patrolling the grounds outside City Hall with a police dog.
Barricades have been set up along 14th Street to prevent access to the plaza. The area has been cleaned up after yesterday's melees.
Snow Park, near Lake Merritt, is empty this morning and showing no signs of protesters.

Tuesday, 11:03 p.m. More tear gas
TV cameras show police using more tear gas, and a reporter on the scene says it was again prompted by protesters throwing bottles at police. People are dispersing toward 15th Avenue and Broadway. Flash grenades can be heard, as well. The back-and-forth between protesters and police is expected to go on through the night.

10:41 p.m. More than 100 arrested
Interim police chief Howard Jordan told reporters that 102 people have been arrested. Police from other agencies are involved in trying to disperse the protests. Some people are starting to reconvene near Frank Ogawa Plaza.
10:36 p.m. Police using tear gas
Police are using tear gas against protesters who have gathered again at Frank Ogawa Plaza, at least the second time on Tuesday they've deployed the tear gas. Witnesses at the scene say protesters threw bottles at police before the tear gas was released. Protesters dispersed to the east of Broadway, and the gas fumes were heavy in the air. Between 200 and 300 protesters gathered for an earlier round at Frank Ogawa Plaza before the confrontation took place.
Protesters continue to regroup, march toward Frank Ogawa Plaza
A group of protesters has regrouped and is now returning to Frank Ogawa Plaza, near where police deployed tear gas earlier.

10:10 p.m. Protesters regroup, march toward Frank Ogawa Plaza -
A group of protesters has regrouped and is now returning to Frank Ogawa Plaza, near where police deployed tear gas earlier.

9:30 p.m. Police deploy tear gas two more times -
Police have lobbed tear gas canisters into a crowd of protesters at 14th and Broadway.

8:35 p.m. Police cruiser windows smashed with a rock -
Protesters have smashed a CHP car that was parked at 16th Street and Broadway.

8:30 p.m. Protesters marching toward City Hall -
After scattering when police set off tear gas, protesters are marching again, heading down Broadway t on their way back to City Hall. Police are not following the crowd, but continue to stand sentry at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza.

7:55 p.m. Police continue threats as crowd grows again on Broadway -
Police are continuing to threaten to use chemical agents against the crowd that is refusing to disperse on Broadway.

7:45 p.m. Police deploy tear gas -
After repeated warnings, police have deployed tear gas and wooden dowells against the crowd of protesters at 14th and Broadway, near Frank Ogawa Plaza. As the tear gas canisters exploded in sparks, the crowd scattered toward 15th and Broadway.

7 p.m. Marchers pause at 20th and Franklin for rally -
At 20th and Franklin streets in front of the California Nurses Association building having a rally. There are still at least 200 people in the street, blocking the intersection. At least three helicopters are circling overhead.

6:30 p.m. Protesters have five minute to leave -
A man tried to start a fight with a police officer, sparking police to call an unlawful assembly. They have given the protesters five minutes to leave. Police have surrounded Frank H. Ogawa Plaza and are telling the protesters that if they refuse to move, they will be arrested. The protesters, possibly as many as 1,000 people, are all gathered at 14th street and Broadway. Over the last 30 minutes, police have launched wooden dowls and some concussion grenades into the crowds. It was not immediately known how many protesters, if any, were hit. An Oakland Tribune news photographer was hit with something launched by police. At least two people have been arrested since the rally and march kicked off at 4 p.m. Many in the crowd are wearing bandanas, possibly to protect themselve if the police use tear gas. Sirens are sounding, motorcycle police from many agencies are in downtown and there is general chaos as police try and clear out the massive amount of people.

6:10 p.m. Unlawful assembly declared -
Police have declared an unlawful assembly and protests are heading toward Broadway. A few minutes ago, police pushed people away from the Oakland Police Department headquarters at 7th and Washington streets. Protesters tossed paint on riot police. At least one person has been arrested. There are reports that concussion gernades are being used on the protesters.

6 p.m. Crowd not obeying police orders, but nonviolent -
At least 500 protesters continue to make their way toward downtown toward the jail. At 8th Street, a thin line of police officers on foot and on bikes held off marchers, who turned down Clay Street instead. There are more people marching right now than were ousted from the plaza Tuesday morning. The protesters are now at 7th and Washington streets and have crossed several thin police lines. They have now been blocked by a thicker line of police officers.

5:35 p.m. Hundreds of spirited protesters marching to jail and then to plaza -
At least 500 people are carrying signs, flags and banners, and blocking downtown streets as they head to the Oakland jail and then back to Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, where crews continue to clean up overturned tents, garbage and put personal belongings in storage. Crews are logging property recovered from the plaza and storing them in a city warehouse until retrieved by the rightful owners. More information is at: www2.oaklandnet.com/oak031906.
Four helicopters are monitoring the march.

4:55 p.m. About 500 gathered in downtown -
About 500 people have blocked 14th Street in both directions and are chanting "power to the people, and threatening to take over Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, about 12 hours after police rousted hundreds from their tents and arrested more than 1oo.
"We are going to march and reclaim what was already ours, what we call Oscar Grant Plaza and what they call City Hall,'' one marcher said.
Meanwhile, AC Transit buses have returned to their regular routes through downtown Oakland, except for the Line 26, which has been diverted from 14th Street between Broadway and Clay Street.

2:28 p.m. Arrestees being booked, held on $10,000 bail -
Occupy Oakland organizers say arrestees are being booked at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin on $10,000 bail each and held until an arraignment on Thursday. Organizers are asking supporters to contact Alameda County Sheriff's Office and Mayor Jean Quan to "demand cite and release."

11:48 a.m. Labor council leader condemns encampment shutdown. -
Josie Camacho, a leader in the Alameda Labor Council, is announcing a news conference at 6th and Washington streets right now, condemning the camp's shutdown as "an unprovoked raid on peaceful protesters."
Given the nation's fiscal woes, Camacho said in a prepared statement, "this outrageous act to silence the voices of the protesters puts Mayor Quan and the City Council on the wrong side of history. At a time when resources are stretched in Oakland it is shameful that City funds are expended to silence the voices of the people."
Camacho added, "We oppose the eviction and call on the City of Oakland to release the arrested, drop the charges, restore the occupation or otherwise reverse this silencing of the voice of the majority of Americans."

10:45 a.m. All clear issued for city employees and downtown employers -
City Hall is now asking city employees to return to work and encouraging downtown businesses to open. City Administrator spokesperson Karen Boyd said city buildings surrounding Frank H. Ogawa Plaza are closed to the public "until public health and safety conditions can be improved; this includes debris, human waste and hazardous materials removal."
All City Council committee meetings have been canceled. Ironically, the shutdown of a protest about lack of jobs and economic opportunity for many Americans has also canceled the city council's meeting on economic development.

10:15 a.m. Occupy SF offers support -
Occupy San Francisco protesters are offering refuge in their camp for protesters ousted from their Oakland camp this morning. The San Francisco group's Twitter account asks the Oakland group to let them know how they can offer support, and suggests sending people who need rest to the San Francisco camp in Justin Herman Plaza, just across the Bay Bridge from downtown Oakland.
Meanwhile, Occupy Oakland have put out the call on Twitter and elsewhere for supporters to gather at 4 p.m. at the Oakland Public Library, 14th and Madison streets.

9:30 a.m. City press briefing -
At a press briefing at City Hall, Police Chief Howard Jordan said 75 arrests were made and the police operation went smoothly, without injuries to police or protesters. No children were found at the camp. Dogs and their owners were allowed to leave.
Tear gas was used, as well as bean bag rounds, officials said. The operation will be investigated and reviewed, according to Jordan.
The hundreds of law enforcement officers at the scene came from departments around the Bay Area, including the Alameda County Sheriff's Deapartment, Berkeley, UC Berkeley, Hayward, Fremont, Pleasanton, Union City Newark, Alameda, the CHP, Santa Clara, San Francisco and San Jose.

8:45 a.m. City officials survey the damage -
City officials are conducting a walk-through of the Frank H. Ogawa Plaza aftermath to assess the condition of the plaza and the downtown area, according to a statement from the police department.
Officials plan to update advisory for downtown employers and city employees by 9 a.m. Earlier, they had urged employers to delay starting work downtown this morning.
Officials will be available for a media briefing this morning at 9 a.m.
Current road closures downtown: Clay Street between 12th and 14th streets and Broadway between 12th and 14th streets

8:30 a.m. Protesters remain downtown -
About two dozen protesters remain across the street from City Hall, where the camp has been dismantled. Tensions escalated considerably when one protester pushed through a barricade and was taken away by police.
About 50 police officers are in place to keep any protesters from re-entering the plaza.

7:37 a.m. Downtown Oakland BART station reopens -
The Oakland City Center 12th street station is now open, according to BART. Currently only the 11th street entrance/exit is open at this time.

7:15 a.m. Snow Park camp closed -
Police have shut down the Snow Park encampment at 19th and Harrison streets near Lake Merritt.
Officers made numerous arrests, taking protesters away in vans, without any apparent violence.
Several protesters ran around into the nearby streets upending trash cans and Dumpsters, throwing trash into the streets.
The camp is now basically empty, with a few people standing around and the remainders of several tents lying haphazardly in the grass.

6:40 a.m. BART closes downtown station -
The 12th Street BART station is closed because of the protests and police action and AC Transit is rerouting buses downtown.

6:15 a.m. Police descend on Snow Park camp -
Dozens of police officers are moving into Snow Park near Lake Merritt. An officer is using a bullhorn to tell protesters to leave the small park. Police are ripping down the tents and protesters are yelling "go away, go away."
"Attention protesters at Snow Park, this is the Oakland Police Department, you are in violation of the law. You must comply with this announcement. It has been determined that you are illegally lodging and are subject to arrest. To avoid arrest, you must gather all your belongings and vacate the park. You must comply with this announcement now." Protesters are yelling "police state, police state" and "rise up, rise up, against your masters." Police are forming a line to protect the people who have been arrested and put in police vehicles. Protesters claim they have the right to assemble and yell "shame, shame, shame, shame,"

5:30 a.m. Protesters cleared from plaza, tent city gone -
On a side street off Broadway between 14th and 15th streets, a police line is keeping about 20 or 30 people out of the plaza as the protesters chant: "rise up, rise up, come on people rise up." Police said there were about 200 police from Oakland and other agencies involved in the raid. Police said a few protesters threw bottles at first, but then stopped.
A large group of police are mulling around the plaza. There are no more protesters in the plaza. All have been pushed out or left on their own. Three helicopters continue to circle above the scene. Clean up crews will be moving in soon and they have a lot off work ahead. The place is a complete mess with a couch is on its side and carpet and tents strewed everywhere.

5:20 a.m. City issues warning to downtown businesses -
The city is advising employers to delay the arrival of employees downtown until further notice. Police have cleared the protesters from the Occupy Oakland camp at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza and are now starting the clean up phase.

5:15 a.m. Tent city destroyed -
Hundreds of police in riot gear continue to move into the camp and arrest people. Already dozens have been arrested and the camp destroyed. Most of the arrests seem relatively peaceful. Some have moved out on their own. There is massive amounts of destruction at the camp.
Police tore down tents and wooden stalls that had housed medical aid and food. Garbage cans are overturned. Some police have shotguns and all have clubs out. There is a small protest of about 50 people taking shape just off Broadway near 14th Street. People are banging drums and chanting "We are the 99 percent."
Media and TV crews everywhere. An officials with a bullhorn is issuing directive to campers. Police have now classified the area as a crime scene, but nothing violent has occurred. Looks like a hurricane has come through the camp. Entire raid was over in about 20 minutes. On the north end of the plaza, police have formed a line and are pushing about two dozen protesters into the street. Chaotic as the protesters yell at police. One protesters said "Police are the biggest gang in America."

5 a.m. Police move in -
Police have donned gas masks and some kind of smoke has been released. There is a ring of police surrounding the plaza. In addition, police have blocked off the intersection of 14th and Broadway.
Police are dismantling the barricades and throwing them into the streets and also tearing down signs, ripping them up.
Protesters are sitting down, and police are now leading them away, handcuffed. Police in masks are moving into the camps.

4:50 a.m. Police surround camp -
Police are now moving in from the street into the plaza, telling media to move. Police have set up security corridor, placing media behind them. Police are telling the protesters via bullhorn that "chemical agents" will be used and are repeating that they are illegally camped.
Using a bullhorn, police are announcing their intention to remove anyone from the plaza, repeating instructions over and over again. Taking out billy clubs, they are starting to move in. So far, police have not entered the actual encampment. A lot of television truck are parked nearby and media are assembling as well.

4:40 a.m. Police arrive -
Several police cars have arrived. The protesters are running around, throwing things at the police. Riot police with batons full riot gear have assembled on the corner of 14th and Broadway.
Police are lined up from 14th to 15th, at least 100 riot police. Protesters are chanting "Police go home, cops go home " and banging sticks on anything they can find.
A helicopter is hovering over the plaza, shining a spotlight down on the camp.
Homeless people are leaving the camp, trying to get out.
Activists with Occupy Oakland report that police appear to be moving in early Tuesday morning near the encampment on the lawn outside of Oakland City Hall.
Police have been seen walking the perimeter of the camp, but have not gone in as of 3:30 a.m., according to the group, which has occupied a tent city for two weeks.
At the side of the camp near 14th Street and Broadway, people have put up at least two metal Dumpsters to block the area and wooden crates have been placed near the Clay Street side of the camp in an attempt to keep police out. In addition, people are covering their faces with bandannas and one made is carrying a giant shield he fashioned out of duct tape.

3 a.m. Camp braces for police raid -
At about 3 a.m., the Occupy Oakland camp leaders sent out a text message, citing "heavy" police presence and then sent out another alert to supporters: "Get here immediately. Lines of riot cops marking toward camp."
More than 300 people have been camping in Oakland to support the Occupy Wall Street movement, which started on Sept. 17 in New York City to protest widespread unemployment and corporate greed.
The loose-knit group occupied the plaza two weeks ago to protest widespread unemployment and corporate greed, but the encampment has grown to encompass many other causes: support for state prison inmates who are on hunger strikes, housing rights, fair wages and against social oppression.
City officials began stepping up pressure on the protesters last week and on Friday upped the stakes by issuing a letter stating that the encampment on Frank H. Ogawa Plaza was "a violation of the law" and threatening violators with immediate arrest.
The "notice of violations and demand to cease violations" came a day after a preliminary letter that urged the residents to vacate the camp because of what the city said were a host of problems, including fighting, vandalism, public urination and other sanitation and public health issues. Officials said an existing rat problem in the area was being made worse by the encampment, which had about 100 tents at one point.
A spokeswoman for the mayor, Karen Boyd, said Friday that the protesters had shown themselves incapable of self-governance. "As a collective, they cannot maintain te plaza in a safe condition," she said.