Oakland: WAR Between Occupiers and Police

Yesterday afternoon the City of Oakland liberated Frank Ogawa Park from hundreds of occupiers, who had long overstayed their welcome, on the basis of crime and sanitation. It seemed like everything was going fine, until late last night - and then it all went down hill from there.

Apparently, the occupiers believed they could "re-occupy" Frank Ogawa Park, or the near area (City Hall), from the Oakland Police Department. They were greatly mistaken, and after several skirmishes involving tear gas and beanbag rounds, not to mention nearly one hundred arrests, order was finally restored.

Hours after nightfall Tuesday evening, protesters had gathered at a downtown library and began marching toward City Hall in an attempt to re-establish a presence in the area of the disbanded camp.

They were met by police officers in riot gear. Several small skirmishes broke out and officers cleared the area by firing tear gas.

The scene repeated itself several times just a few blocks away in front of the plaza, where police set up behind metal barricades, preventing protesters from gaining access to the site.

Tensions would build as protesters edged ever closer to the police line and reach a breaking point with a demonstrator hurling a bottle or rock, prompting police to respond with another round of gas.

For some reason I keep flashing back to footage of the 1960's, but at least no police officers were seriously hurt in this morning's skirmishes and maybe the occupiers have learned a lesson after feeling the hard hand of order enforced on them.

What say you?