Violent crackdown on Occupy protesters in Oakland, California
By Fred Williams and Joseph Kishore 26 October 2011
Police violently attacked hundreds of demonstrators in Oakland, California Tuesday evening, one day after clearing out the Occupy Oakland encampment, with several injuries reported. Protesters attempted to retake the plaza, which they have dubbed Oscar Grant Park (Ogawa Plaza).
Decked in riot gear, hundreds of police fired volleys of tear gas canisters and used bean bag guns and flash grenades against the unarmed protesters, who numbered in the thousands. Children, the elderly and disabled were among those trapped in the teargas clouds. Police helicopters patrolled overhead. (Some videos of the police violence were available. See Tear gas thrown at Occupy Oakland and Police fire tear gas at protesters)
A reporter from the East Bay Express, an independent weekly newspaper, tweeted at about 7:45 p.m local time, “Tear gas fired into crowd… People on the ground with head wounds near 15[th Street].” There were reports of at least one demonstrator critically injured.