ACLU attorney calls for full investigation of police response to Occupy Oakland

[1776Forever]

October 26, 2011 | 6:09 PM | By Rina Palta
Guest blog: ACLU attorney calls for full investigation of police response to Occupy Oakland
By Linda Lye, Staff Attorney, ACLU of Northern California

http://informant.kalwnews.org/ (Note: 2nd article down the list)

Picture this. In response to a peaceful anti-war protest, the Oakland Police Department uses large wooden bullets, sting ball grenades and shot-filled bean bags, as a result of which at least 58 protesters are injured. That was 2003, and unfortunately sounds eerily similar to reports of OPD’s response to an Occupy Oakland demonstration yesterday evening, in which bean bags or other projectiles appear to have been fired directly into crowds and multiple rounds of tear gas were used.

OPD’s conduct in 2003 led to a class action lawsuit brought by the ACLU-NC, the National Lawyers Guild, ILWU, Local 10 and other civil rights attorneys. The lawsuit led to a historic settlement, with OPD adopting a Crowd Control Policy that strictly limits the use of force and prohibits the indiscriminate use of bean bags and other projectiles against crowds or passive resisters, except in unusual circumstances....

Yesterday, after OPD’s early morning raid of the Occupy Oakland encampment, Acting Chief Jordan agreed to conduct an investigation of the Department’s conduct. That’s a start, but the situation demands full transparency and accountability. The investigation should clearly be expanded to the Department’s conduct in handling not just the morning raid but also the evening demonstration. But separate and apart from any internal investigation the Department conducts, the situation requires independent oversight and the public has a right to know exactly what happened.

..........

We all need to keep an eye on this and not let it go away! Take a look at the other articles on the website link by Ali Winston a reporter that has been looking into Oakland Police tactics for years now.

October 26, 2011 | 2:47 PM | By Ali Winston
SLIDESHOW Occupy Oakland: gas, beanbags, flash-bang grenades thrown at crowd

http://informant.kalwnews.org/
(Note: 4th article down the list)

[Stargazer99]

1. what conservative jerk ordered this type of conduct

The police chief should have to answer

[truebrit71]

3. From what I am hearing it was the Democratic Mayor...

...and not the police chief that ordered this...

*edit*

Okay, it appears that the Mayor "merely" signed-off on the plan, rather than ordering it....She is now also claiming that she didn't know what the police plan entailed...but she signed it anyway...

Hmmmm??

[1776Forever]

4. Yes - Who was the person who called in these tactics? I as you and many want to know! I heard that

the Mayor said she didn't know anything about it and the Police Chief Jordan said he hadn't heard of any injuries - Really? I did also hear there were State Troopers there and many other Police there from around the area. So who made the call for this kind of response?

[Fire Walk With Me]

2. Good. K&R!

[Uncle Joe]

5. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, 1776Forever.

[1776Forever]

6. It is the least I can do. I saw Ali Winston on Al Jazeera last night - 1st time I ever watch that

channel. I was shocked at what a great interview he gave them and how good the interviewer was. I tried to find the video on YouTube but so far haven't found it. If anyone can please post it! It says a lot about how Fox News and CNN report the real story or rather how they don't report it!

[Evasporque]

7. I would look at the Sherrif...that is who was on point and started firing first...

Near where Scott Olsen was shot in the head with a police projectile...the Sheriff deputies were on that barricade....in the video you can see a deputy toss a flash bang...he did underhanded so it was not obvious...it is pretty clear there is a faction of the law enforcement who want to escalate the violence...and are probably the tea party types who vehemently hate OWS and liberals....

This is just the start kids..the Tea Party mentality is at work here...and the Oakland Law Enforcement leadership need to step on that...and not support the "thin blue line".

[1776Forever]

9. Is that what this picture that was with the article is? I didn't know what it was for sure. Thanks

[AsahinaKimi]

8. I hope a powerful message comes out of this...

That this kind of behavior will not stand.

[Tippy]

10. I just now called TN Governor Haslam's office about the removal of the OWS

Group in Nashville...first off I brought up the fact they have every legal right to do what they are doing...and the lady on the phone said yes we know but they were asked to not remain over night because...yadda, yadda, yadda...to which I responded you mean to tell me they have no constitutional rights after a certain time of day? "Well no..no" She couldn't think of a thing to say...I said are you telling me the Constitution does not mean what it says, or is wrong?...It was funny to listen to her trying to figure out how to get me off the phone....Poor lady, I told her I was sorry she was uncomfortable.

[1776Forever]

11. Good for you! I think even Gov. Haslam wouldn't have an answer to that question because you

are right on! Our Rights do NOT end or they should NEVER end!

[Divine Discontent]

12. they need to seriously come at this with all forms of available legal options

this kind of shit response by the only people carrying deadly weapons at these events has got to end, or it will end up causing more deadly weapon carrying uniformed bullies beating or even killing people simply protesting!


Get it here now, or one of a million other designs! http://www.zazzle.com/republicans_2012_keeping_millions_out_of_work_bumper_sticker-128659602907896843?rf=238107662556833486