MEDIA ROOTS – Abby Martin of Media Roots reports from the front lines of the brutal police-state repression of the non-violent Occupy Oakland protesters, who were practicing their freedom to assemble on Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at 7:30pm. The footage captures an increasingly tense standoff between the Oakland Police Department and the Occupy Wall Street protesters in the moments preceding the aggressive assault on the crowd.
Abby Martin reports from the front lines at Frank Ogawa Plaza in downtown Oakland.
Things came to a head around 7:45pm when the coordinated 17-agency police action, including Oakland PD, approved by Major Jean Quan, started throwing smoke bombs, firing tear gas projectile canisters and rubber bullets into the crowd, completely unprovoked.
Although it’s not evident in this footage, Iraq war veteran and Occupy Oakland-supporter Scott Olsen was shot in the head by a tear gas projectile at point blank range by one of the assaulting riot cops during this anti-democratic, unconstitutional drama of police terrorism. Olsen has been hospitalised and is reported to be in serious condition with a fractured skull at presstime.
Check out exclusive Media Roots coverage from earlier that day when the Oakland PD, alongside many other police agencies, aggressively raided the peaceful Occupy Oakland encampments and said they were just “following orders” to do so.
Contact Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, who conveniently left for Washington, D.C. during the ordeal, to voice your views on this brutal repression of Constitutionally-protected assembly.
, “There’s no such thing as a crooked cop; you’re eehitr a crook or you’re a cop.” The same is true of a cop who commits any crime.And, by the way, Scott Olsen isn’t the only ex-marine who was less than hopelessly in love with the Marine Corps. I’m another and there are countless others like us – if the truth be told, there are many more of us than those who claim to feel otherwise. It’s easy to tell who we are; we’re the ones who didn’t reenlist. Indeed, in the Marine Corps, it was the lifers who weren’t too popular, not the visitors.And, so what? Most of us served honorably, if not ecstatically; more than a few served even heroically and, in too many cases, at the cost of serious injury or their lives (I am not one of the heroes); and, we happily got the hell out when our time was up. We don’t have to phony up affection for the Marine Corps to suit anyone! I am rationally proud of my service and anyone who doesn’t think that’s enough can join the Corps, himself. I hear that they’re still looking for a few good men.Be well, Scott.