Why OWS Needs to Denounce Violent Tactics on Display at Occupy Oakland

[Luminous Animal]

28. No. A crowbar was not used on a fire escape door. Even Jean Quan couldn't present that evidence...

and first it was reported that protesters had used a crowbar on the front door. When it was clear from the video evidence that no such thing had happened, they changed their story to the fire escape door.

Nobody is justifying destruction of property. I will put it into perspective about all the hand wringing of what it costs the tax payers. The couple of thousand that it will cost the taxpayers to clean up City Hall is a drop on the bucket compared to the estimated 58 million that it has cost the city to suppress OWS Oakland thus far. 58 million that has been PURPOSELY spent to destroy a people's movement. And yes, those 400 people out of several 1000 were peacefully protesting. They were marching. The cops kettled them. They drove a few up against the wall of the YMCA and started beating them with their batons. Their brutality was so appalling to those who witnessed it from inside the YMCA, that those inside opened up the doors to offer the protesters sanctuary.