www.abetteroakland.com/downtown-oakland-riot-link-round-up/2009-01-08
V Smoothe Based on the heavy activity on the open thread and all the searches coming here, I figured you guys might want a dedicated space to discuss the events of last night.
Please come through and read my thoughts you guys, and feel free to have a conversation there. There has been no communication from them about processes and procedures. I even saw the spokesperson watch the cell phone video for the first time live on camera -- his reaction for all to see. I think that people who want the officer criminally prosecuted should know that if he had been compelled to talk to BART investigators, nothing he said would be admissible in a criminal court. I agree with an earlier post by Max -- this is a tragic event for the victim and the officer. Clearly the officer was distraught at the moment of the shooting, and the family has lost a son, partner and father. But coming home last night, seeing a car in flames just a couple blocks from my home (the car was on fire at 2nd and Webster), really scared me. I was still thinking of buying a home in Oakland this year, despite the incompetence of city leadership, but now, um, probably not. Since 2006, I've lived in various parts of Nancy's district (dntwn Oakland) while I am completely displeased with her as a councilperson, I see a city growing. Come to the Uptown district to see what I see - smell the change, be the change. I've only been here for two years but I love the feeling of community here. The events from the night before makes me want to stay, not move out. I'll be going to the grand opening gala at the Fox and get a drink at Flora, the first of many.
V Smoothe on Yesterday 9:00 pm I added your post, Luke, and a couple of other things that came out after I initially posted the list. I would like to see how many of those cited have Oakland on their identifiication.
The so-called organizer that handed out flyers all over the bay area should be arrested for inciting a riot. He caused a lot of people to be involved that otherwise might not have been. There were even videos on Youtube that were young white kids that were obviously not from here trying to stir up a WTO situation (seattle) in order to create chaos. I am guessing 3 years for the Downtown and Uptown businesses to recover lost revenue, and for many of them, it will be FAR too late. The OPD showed so much restraint that they should get halos. Seriously, you can't imagine the abuse that they took and stood silent.
oaklandhappenings on Today 12:39 am (14 hours ago) First things first: Kudos to OPD (and any law enforcement organizations involved) for arresting dangerous people; evening, but likely time and time again with crime over the years. Also, fortunately, to spear what's left of Oakland's reputation to other media sources, they didn't have to shoot anyone. Although after this week's trauma, I trust it would only be of self-defense if need be. Secondly: If just the protesting alone makes Oakland stronger, then hopefully that offsets the mini-riots which would make it weaker. Third: Nobody, and I mean NOBODY-figuratively speaking-f*cks with the Fox theater, by damaging it! Phil T's comments in the Trib were encouraging, although he wasn't quoted with any timeline regarding the terra-cotta damage. Navigator on Today 8:19 am (7 hours ago) I feel so bad for the small businesses and shopkeepers downtown. You see them outside with brooms trying to pick up the pieces left behind by these mostly out of town Animals who come to Oakland to destroy our town just for their sick recreational enjoyment. I saw a clip on the news last night of some guy coming to the Oakland Court House to pick up a friend teacher from Berkeley High who had been arrested in the disturbance. I saw two young white kids picking up an Asian girl from the Court House. Oakland has become THE place for out of towners to come and trash for fun. This mindset goes back to those idiotic sideshows in east Oakland. It's time that these people receive a severe sentence for coming to Oakland and creating mayhem. We need to send a message to young people from all over the Bay Area that Oakland is not your personal punching bag. It was sad to see that the Animals were at it again last night, at 14th & Broadway. This time there were only about 100 of them throwing garbage cans on the street and trying to incite another riot. The cops should have rushed those those idiots and arrested all of them on the spot for disturbing the peace, inciting a riot, vandalism, littering, etc,. It's time that we send a message that this type of behavior will no longer be tolerated in Oakland. One of the news stations interviewed the owner of a car set on fire around 14th & Broadway the night before. The poor woman was crying saying that she only had liability insurance and didn't know how she was going to get her young children to school. Even through her limited English, you could see her tears, and hear the pain in her voice, when she asked, "why do these people do this?" The only answer I have is that they're selfish, self-centered Animals who have no regard for anyone else. The family of Oscar Grant pleaded with the Neanderthals for peace. We are legitimizing these ass holes if we thinking that pleading with a few rampaging knuckleheads, many of them from out of town, with a heart felt and rational argument, is going to do a Damn thing. Come on Dellums , grow some balls and tell it like it is. You should stand up and tell the World, "Oakland will not tolerate this behavior in our city. We will not allow a fringe element from throughout the Bay Area to come to our city and incite a riot. If you do so, you will be arrested, and charged to the fullest extent of the Law."
Becks on Today 8:46 am (6 hours ago) Hey everyone - I need your help. I'm compiling a list of businesses that were vandalized on Wednesday night so we can all make a concerted effort to patronize these businesses.
Recreational rioting is an irregular fixture on the west coast (remember Seattle). There is a romantic attachment around the Bay Area by too many people to the idea that "direct action" somehow promotes "justice". There was a clear opportunity to stop the march when they reached the foot of Lake Merritt by the Kaiser Convention Center (I was there). But there were no orders from the Chief or the Mayor to stop them. Stopping the march before the riot would have lead to howls of police brutality. There is a continuum from tolerating public urination, public thuggery and up to the occasional riot. Public safety is clearly not a city priority, which should have been clear to anyone before the riot. The cost of "regular" crime to Oakland businesses is enormous; The loss isn't just the businesses that were trashed, it is the future cost of businesses leaving or NOT investing in Oakland. Izzy Ort on Today 9:08 am (6 hours ago) Martin Luther King Day Riot now in the planning stages? This morning's Chronicle has a quote from a Reike Redmond of Revolution Books commenting favorably on the property destruction downtown. Although I am well aquainted with Revolution Books, an outlet for the Revolution Communist Party, USA, which has nationwide presence but Berkeley roots, I wanted to see if ther was anything else on the net about Ms Redmond. In doing so I came across a blog of one Ian Bone, age 61, whom wikipedia calls a "prominent English anarchist", and publisher of the anarchist newspaper "Class War". Mr Bone says that there is "a big march planned for January 19th - Martin Luther King day."
I actually tried to give Tacubaya a small donation to pass along to Flora yesterday afternoon, and was somewhat surprised when they gave it back to me because they weren't really sure how to handle that. It would be great to set up some sort of mechanism for people to show some financial support beyond just visiting the businesses. Ken on Today 10:30 am (5 hours ago) I think the only way to "donate" would be to continue s\upporting these businesses. I saw a lot fo out of town white hipsters and troublemakers of all stripes. I agree with Mike Spencer's assessment above that arrestees were mostly from SF, Berkeley and other cities, with at...
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