1. Just close all of the Oakland libraries. There isn't any more money to pay the library staff, not after the overtime, not after the human rights lawsuits.

2. This should be seen as felony assault, plain and simple, on the part of the city administration. Just roll the footage in front of a jury of the victims' peers. Too bad that our democracy doesn't have judges.

Here's what i wrote three weeks ago:

They (the cops, or more accurately, the cops on behalf of their bosses) will keep pushing, and prodding, and provoking, and hurting, and spraying, and batoning, and kettling, and NOT engaging in any productive dialog, until they get the inevitable reaction they are planning for, when someone tosses a rock or a bottle or throws a punch or a tackle or tries to unarrest an abused comrade or breaks a window or tips over a car or sets a dumpster on fire...

And then they will wade in brutally in force, and the FCM will report a "riot" at the protest without stating who started the "riot."

If need be, cops themselves will play the role of the protestor who reacts in self-defense or solidarity, or the protestor who engages in minor property destruction, because the cops (their bosses actually) will do whatever they need to do to have supposedly "plausible" and "reasonable" reasons for their extreme over-reactive violence aginst the people who are peacably assembled to petition for redress of grievances.

That said, i believe that people in general are so fed up with the existing utterly corrupted political economic system, that the street occupations (may wane and wax but ultimately) will continue to grow, through whatever ugly reaction the street cops carry out on behalf of their real bosses, the extremist economic elites of our late-stage looted economy.

i think the Naomi Klein headline is correct: a significant portion of people in general have FINALLY COMPLETELY lost all faith in electoral politics in this utterly corrupted political economy. As has long been understood by many, the ONLY way to get any positive action from any of the political classes is to engage in genuinely threatening mass action to disrupt the political economy and educate more people.

i believe the people in Liberty Square understand this, and the lack of "demands" is understood to be completely purposeful, that the ACTION ITSELF expresses the growth in understanding and practice of this protest.

And i hope and expect that some people there are engaged in precisely the kind of discussion i am engaging in here, about the real struggle this is - for disruption and transformation of this utterly corrupted political economy, with credible exercise of mass action to indicate that such disruption and reclaiming of democracy and liberty might be feasible - and that understanding of police tactics and strategy in this framework is increasing.

Not that each street cop understands themselves to be acting strategically, certainly there are cops who happily engage in brutal behavior because they enjoy it or because they demonize the protestors. But cops who are brutal for these reasons are just as much part of the higher-level strategy of the corrupt economic elites.

And ultimately, if these protests continue to grow, demonstrate potential for power, and raise the stakes, at some unpredictable point we can almost certainly expect cops (or military) to kill some protestors. People need to be prepared to make the decision, one way or another, to not end the protests when this happens. i don't have a grand strategy i can lay out, but somehow we need to be prepared to face extreme violence by defenders of the corrupted elites, and then continue to move toward reclaiming democracy and liberty, reclaiming popular power in the political economy, in the face of such reactive violence.

There are only two things The Man cares about most: Money and Power. Be they democrats or republicans, both will crack your heads open and make you bleed when you start slowing down the commercial money-making process and costing them money to supply the police.

And I will say it again: While both parties are inherently evil, democrats are the worst when it comes to violence against the citizenry. Whether its building out its police state, or smashing your heads to the pavement, or just burning you alive as they did to 80+ men, women and children in Waco, or assassinating anyone they want without due process, T h e y -d o n 't - c a r e. People mean nothing to the ruling elite except as something to serve Them and extract wealth from.

When you subdue Them, this shit will stop then and only then will rules and laws will change.

Both The state and citizenry at large are both primed for violence. Its going to be an interesting 13 months ahead. A real honest-to-goodness civil war perhaps.

Hmm.

When did the protests in the 60's and 70's finally stop? After Kent State. Will the same thing happen this time? There will be people shot dead in the streets. Right now the police are testing their own to see which ones will pull the trigger on unarmed citizens. The cop that tossed the flash bang into the crowd, oh yea, he'll be right up front when they start using real bullets. He's getting a lot of hi fives down at the station right now. Protesters keep this in mind, people turn away from violence, it's the main reason the fat cats are able to so easily maim and kill in our name. When the blood runs in the street, most of the 99% will turn away, and tune in DWTS. Did you see our SOS Hillary Clinton laughing with gee over the brutal murder of Gadhafi the other day? Remember the words of George Carlin, " They don't care about you, they don't care about you, they don't give a FUCK about YOU!!!!

I posted prefunctorily and facetiously whan the OWS protests started that the political whorehouse called Foxy News, would tie the protesters to radical Muslims. Well,well, they are now calling the protests dangerous because even though some of the occupiers are innocent the movement is being infilitrated and co opted by, wait for it: " Islamic extremists ". Pleeease! Well maybe it is true, since Al Qaida is just a terrorist tool of the CIA !

In case the purpose of last night's events needed to be spelled out for us, a pundit on CNN just said --

"Stay Away from OWS" due to Oakland violence.

Hear that? STAY AWAY FROM OWS or YOU TOO could get your head cracked open. I think it's time for an Occupy CNN.

I hope you people in California realize something. Obama is coming after your Medical Pot. He's coming after it hard. Do you know this yet? Google OBAMA, MEDICAL MARIJUANA and FEDERAL if you haven't got the news yet. Yes I know it's a big betrayal and it stabs a lot of you in the back. Yes I know he is on the record of saying that the feds would no longer attempt to targert all of the registered tax paying locations and dealers and what not, yes I know that. But he needs some sort of bone to lure the anti-drug democrats out from under their rocks, all those parent/teacher groups and organizations, gotta be more "family friendly" this campaign don't cha' know. This is just the first wave. Obama is scared, absolutly scared that the Occupy movement in California will become a mouthpiece for the massive betrayal he is setting up for all those registered users and dealers and growers that are about to BE THROWN IN JAIL. Are you gonna stand for that kind of BS send up? Well are you? I repeat: The Democratic Party structure in California has a lot tied up in maintaining their phony-balony 'unity' and view Occupy as a threat for that reason among others. START TALKING ABOUT THE UPCOMING ROLLBACK OF YOUR 16 YEARS OF MEDICAL POT NOW BEFORE ITS TOO LATE. Best of luck.

JFK finally had to send in Marshals and federalized National Guard to protect the Freedom Riders.

Hoover did not like that and hated MLK.

Obama was on Jay Leno last night saying how angry and frustrated the American people are with government. This is his wake up call too.
Who will he protect now?
We are the revolution.

What a pathetic display, this is oaklands finest? Where did this city find these guys? Serve and protect who? The top one percent I would say. Did wall street fed ex the checks for these bastards overnight express? These cops are getting paid overtime to play bully and break skulls, they are so stupid they do not realize they are part of the 99, when they use up all the money allocated for their job they will be laid off too. Pathetic ass holes.

Oakland PD is swiftly building a reputation for being corrupt murdering fascist pigs just like LAPD and Chicago PD.

Wow, the police are scaring the hell out of me. Of course that's also what they're trying to do. What sick individuals those cops are that carried this out. Let me guess, they're like the Nazis- they don't find themselves personally to blame for directly hurting people but are instead just, following orders - which is the dishonest denial that soldiers pull too. I guess it's good for anyone hurting someone while wearing a uniform. Of course it fails logic.

Right now sociopathic republicans all over are cheering the police. I bet they'd have bludgeoned those protesters themselves had they had a chance. I keep saying it, these are times when the sociopaths have found their voices and are using them calling for the hurt of the rest of us. We really are heading into the scary territory the Jews were walking in with these sociopaths taking over the media and political thought of our time.

First, there were 17 law enforcement grps throughout Central CA involved in these actions--a coordinated multi-county contingent of "police" using taxpayer resources drawn from Oakland. The residents of Oakland shuld be furious at that alone.
Second, Ehrenreich outlined the "policy" response brilliantly Sunday on CD: "As it turned out, the captains of the new “casino economy” -- the stock brokers and investment bankers -- were highly sensitive, one might say finicky, individuals, easily offended by having to step over the homeless in the streets or bypass them in commuter train stations. In an economy where a centimillionaire could turn into a billionaire overnight, the poor and unwashed were a major buzzkill. Starting with Mayor Rudy Giuliani in New York, city after city passed “broken windows” or “quality of life” ordinances making it dangerous for the homeless to loiter or, in some cases, even look “indigent,” in public spaces."
Third, Alternet had a story back in July that outlined the descent since the 80s, as Ehrenreich noted as well, of our police forces becoming legally militarized and military appendages: "How did we allow our law enforcement apparatus to descend into militaristic chaos? Traditionally, the role of civilian police has been to maintain the peace and safety of the community while upholding the civil liberties of residents in their respective jurisdiction. In stark contrast, the military soldier is an agent of war, trained to kill the enemy. Clearly, the mission of the police officer is incompatible with that of a soldier, so why is it that local police departments are looking more and more like paramilitary units in a combat zone?" It goes on to answer that question brilliantly. http://www.alternet.org/world/151528/why_do_the_police_have_tanks_the_strange_and_dangerous_militarization_of_the_us_police_force?page=entire

"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win". Gahdhi

"People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage."
John Kenneth Galbraith

Thank you and God bless all my brave brothers and sisters of the 99%

Hundreds of cops and several helicopters were involved in this repressive operation: musta cost a pretty penny.

Our governing institutions always have money for the exercise of violence.

When it comes to the military, police, prisons, and concentration camps, there is never enough government.

I haven't thought about this for a long time, just remembering when Reagan tear gassed Berkeley over demonstrations for people's park. A wall commemorating the event lasted for years. It was one of the few public spaces and people planted things there and well it had other uses as a public space. He pretty much tear gassed everyone. It was owned by UCB and finally after years, it is now tennis courts for the university. Still, CA has a long tradition of protest. Oakland is another story.

I'm sure that the American Citizens will have no trouble turning City Hall
and the Banks behind it into a "war zone" - this is called Self Defence.

Headed for NY on Friday. Maybe I booked the wrong trip!? Fuck you pigs.

merely enforcing the citizens' right to remain silent.

Atlanta wasn't much better. These thugs give new meaning to Mubarak and Saleh. It was an utterly disgusting show of excessive police force and the police state at its best.

http://www.facebook.com/OccupyAtlanta

Let the [dis]Honorable Mayor know what y'all think about his actions:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kasim-Reed/39673929668

It's the mayor of Oakland who should bear the responsibility for all the violence and injuries. Maybe it's time for her to look for another job. It's the police who are predisposed to egregious violence against anyone and everyone who gets anywhere near their clutches. The mayor unleashed these animals against the people of Oakland. She should be fired.

This makes me sick to my stomach.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/150353/Self-Reported-Gun-Ownership-Highest-1993.aspx

The great irony here is that the protestors are really fighting to protect the jobs, collective bargaining rights and pensions of the cobs who attack them. Cops have to be reminded that no "dirty hippie" is going to take away all they've worked for over a lifetime. The Republican politicians they support are the ones trying to do that.

The protestors are fighting for a just taxation system that makes the rich pay for the public services that keep our civilization intact - including police. If the "dirty hippies" don't get their way, Mr. Cop, you and your family will end up homeless like the rest of us.