Oakland police may face sanctions over handling of Occupy protests

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Oakland police may face sanctions over handling of Occupy protests
02 May 2012 04:21
Source: reuters // Reuters
By Mary Slosson

May 1 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the city of Oakland and its police department to submit a plan within a week to address a backlog of complaints stemming from their handling of Occupy protests, threatening sanctions if they fail to do so.

The mandate by U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson follows the release of a report by an outside monitor that said Oakland police used "an overwhelming military-type response" to the demonstrations.

The report also confirmed, for the first time from an official source, that an Oakland police SWAT team member fired a beanbag round at an Iraq war veteran during clashes in October.

Former U.S. Marine Scott Olsen was critically wounded by what protesters said at the time was a tear gas canister fired by police.


Read more: http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/oakland-police-may-face-sanctions-over-handling-of-occupy-protests

[FreeBC]

1. ooooooo, sanctions!

I'm sure that worries them. /sarcasm

[Maraya1969]

2. I wonder how Scott Olsen is. Has he recovered?

[starroute]

3. I read the other day that he still has a speech impediment

I think he's recovered otherwise, but I'm not absolutely sure.

[KansDem]

6. I believe sanctions are one step up...

...from "strongly-worded letter."

And there's always the possibility that someone could lose vacation days...

[joshcryer]

4. Pfft, golly I was told right here on DU that SF police need to take a playbook out of Oakland cops.

I guess anything to protect the bourgeoisie.

[freshwest]

5. Crazier than usual today, black block was their excuse. See Luminous Animal's thread.

[lovuian]

7. Now the brutal force has gone to court

and Sanctions means a tap on the wrist

Protesters will try to do things peacefully but then the reality will set in

I don't think the corporations know what they are in far

[Jamaal510]

8. Not that I don't support Occupy, but I have been wondering for a long time

why protesters in the Bay Area always choose either Oakland or San Francisco to protest in. There are plenty of suburbs here to protest in, such as Livermore and Sonoma. Those towns are where the more affluent people live, not so much Oakland and San Francisco. Maybe I'm wrong on this, but wouldn't it make more sense for the Occupiers to protest somewhere else instead?

[AnotherMcIntosh]

9. You want them to choose a different venue? Such as Livermore or Sonoma?

Sonoma is more than 40 miles North of San Francisco and more than 45 miles North of Oakland.

Livermore is about 35 miles East of Oakland and more than 40 miles East of San Francisco.

What do Sonoma and Livermore have in common? Neither of them are near the Bay Area Rapid Transit facilities nor other public transportation. Neither of them are near the news outlet centers. Neither of them are particularly near the quantity of medical faciliites in Oakland and San Francisco, although both have some. Etc.

Choosing Sonoma or Livermore may make sense to a non-protestor, but apparently not to those who are actually protesting. If you're not a protestor, why should you offer rules for those who are? Would you change your mind about being a non-protestor if they protested in Sonoma or Livermore instead of Oakland or San Francisco?