We ate breakfast @ the Can't Fail Cafe this morning, a
short block away and just hours before the Occupy movement began its trek
across town to its new chosen location, a vacant lot across from the Uptown
Condos.
As we walked the short route back to my house we were met
with a couple of anti Occupy protestors who were all to happy to tell us
"why" they were against the occupation of the lot.
One lady from Germany based her entire argument on the
feeble excuse that a man had been killed near the original site (she was upset
that the protestors are not outraged) and I reminded her that there have been
100 murders in Oakland so far this year (unfortunately murder is not front page
news in this town - unless it happens at an Occupy site). I asked her why
"She" was not outraged about the other 99?? (hmmm 99% vs 1% at work here too) Also, I added, there
didn't seem to be much public outrage for murder victims when they are killed in East Oakland (a predominantly black neighborhood) but the last murder
seems to have taken on a different meaning when it happened
"downtown" and close to the Occupy site. I think this lady probably watches
too much Fox News.
The 2nd anti protestor identified himself as a gay man who was upset that the Occupy movement wasn't taking the "correct" path to effect change (he said he tried to tell them). I reminded him that the movement is a mere 2 months old. They have no appointed leader and are just figuring out how to move forward. I guess he doesn't recall that many other ways to effect change have already been tried -- and failed. So maybe a "new" plan is just what is needed. It remains to be seen.
Both of them were pretty vocal and very disturbed about the prospect of having new neighbors.
Below is report from the Occupy Oakland website followed by my youtube of the events as I witnessed them today.
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Occupy Oakland regained its momentum today in multiple actions with visible union support and peaceful, joyous and angry protestors taking to the streets again. As of 6 pm they were celebrating in a liberated vacant lot at 19th and Telegraph to the sounds of hip hop, drumming, dance music and marching bands. Some neighbors in the Uptown development welcomed the arrival with signs of support and danced in their balconies. Police quickly withdrew to the perimeter when the thousands of protestors arrived. Demonstrators made quick work of the fence, carefully removing children’s artwork and rolling up the chain links in orderly piles. Others took down the NO TRESPASSING signs as souvenirs. One security volunteer quickly inscribed a new sign on the other side (the side made for you and me as Guthrie used to sing) informing police that this was a no police zone.
The day began with the planting of a raised bed garden in Oscar Grant Plaza in front of City Hall. A crowd of thousands gathered at 14th and Broadway and as it marched around Lake Merritt swelled to over 5000. Occupy Oakland and labor union allies held a rally at the Lakeview school at Lakeshore and Grand Avenue, one of those the OUSD is closing. The president of the Oakland teachers union addressed the rally from the sound truck which accompanied the march. Students dramatized their plight with a game of Musical Chairs: the names of 30 schools slated for closure adorned classroom chairs–and not enough seats to go around.
The spirited rally then headed back downtown in an orderly march with volunteers directing traffic. Drivers and passengers briefly stuck in traffic welcomed the arrival of the demonstrators with honks, victory and peace signs and clenched fist salutes, rolling down windows to take flyers and cheer.
The town was decidedly upbeat and police either stayed away or helped redirect traffic. As night fell and a light rain began police remained standing at the perimeter in front of the Fox theater and Uptown developments. no clashes with protestors had occurred as of 6 pm.
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We shall see what the morning brings.
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