Did she say "clear the park" or "raze it to the ground"?
After a week of being vilified for the October 25 raid on Occupy Oakland that ended in tear gas, flashbang grenades, rubber bullets and a Iraq War veteran hospitalized with a fractured skull and possible brain damage, the Oakland Police Department has pushed back against their critics.
We represent the 645 police officers who work hard every day to protect the citizens of Oakland. We, too, are the 99% fighting for better working conditions, fair treatment and the ability to provide a living for our children and families. We are severely understaffed with many City beats remaining unprotected by police during the day and evening hours.
As your police officers, we are confused.
On Tuesday, October 25th, we were ordered by Mayor Quan to clear out the encampments at Frank Ogawa Plaza and to keep protesters out of the Plaza. We performed the job that the Mayor’s Administration asked us to do, being fully aware that past protests in Oakland have resulted in rioting, violence and destruction of property.
Then, on Wednesday, October 26th, the Mayor allowed protesters back in – to camp out at the very place they were evacuated from the day before.
It’s important to take note that the open letter is not disputing any allegations of brutality but merely pointing out that they were following orders. Normally this would be a statement worthy of intense criticism. However, Mayor Quan has distanced herself, both literally and figuratively, from the events of that night and has attempted to push all the blame onto the police. The Oakland police do have a reputation for excessive use of force but they were ordered by Mayor Quan to clear the park. This obviously does not excuse their behavior but the blatant reversal of the Mayor and her refusal to take responsibility for her error in judgement must rankle the OPD to no end.
The upside of this is that Mayor Quan, wary of further public backlash, will let Occupy Oakland have its head as long as it stays peaceful. Accordingly, the police, also wary of public backlash as well as being used as a scapegoat, will tread lightly around the protests.
Read the rest of the letter here.
Feel free to tell me what a terrible person I am on Facebook here (public) or here (not so public) or follow me on Twitter @FilthyLbrlScum. Share and Tweet the love.
I am simply disgusted at the way Oakland police and police in general in the USA behave. It is a big macho ego trip for the insecure. Look at the riots in UK, did a single person get killed or injured. No, they had cameras and went to the houses and arrested them afterwards. When was the last time a policeman was had up for shooting someone? Never. I have a buddy who is a lawyer and defends police, they only have to say they ‘think’ or thought they had a weapon, and that is good enough to shoot someone dead. My brother dated a Sacramento cop. She said the moto in Sac was, “a dead witness cant testify against you”. The cops are tantamount vigilantes. Just look at them, most dress like neo-nazi skin heads. Cops are supposed to be approachable people. A Campbell cop once told me that only half the people in his department were approachable. Scary stuff.
If I could say anything to OPD it would be this. Join the right cause for yourselves and join the strike. Much would be forgiven.
Only following orders?
They were obviously following orders, but common sense tells you that the mayor/police chief did not call for them to shoot protestors—-at will and without discretion—with freaking tear gas canisters, rubber bullets, and flash bangs. Some of the police there (fortunately caught on video) SHOULD be held accountable; and by that, I mean prosecuted to the fullest extent (JUST like an ordinary citizen would be if he were to (to cite one of the happenings of that night) throw a fucking flash bang or whatever the explosive device was into a group of police officers!) Simply outrageous.
@MichaelBock You’re absolutely right,too many times Policemen in the USA acts criminally and get away with it,or just get’slap on the wrist’.I hope for the sake of the USA,that such Crimiinal policemen’ll be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
and also not be allowed to serve in any police force,as such are bullies.and try to legitimatize their inhumane nature,which is extremely immature.