More tear gas, scuffles at "Occupy Oakland" site

Oakland police fire tear gas as they prepare to move in to Frank Ogawa Plaza to disperse Occupy Oakland protesters on Tuesday. Oct. 25, 2011, in Oakland, Calif. / AP Photo

Updated 5:30 a.m. EDT

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Dozens of police in riot gear and hundreds of protesters supporting the Occupy Wall Street movement engaged in a game of cat-and-mouse in downtown Oakland on Tuesday, with authorities using tear gas to respond to demonstrators' repeated agitations.

The latest such skirmish came around 11:15 PDT in front of City Hall, where a haze of chemical smoke still hung in the air following several similar clashes at the site over the course of the night.

It was the fifth time in about three hours that police a fired a volley of tear gas to disperse a crowd at the scene where ongoing tension has erupted into conflict throughout the day.

The number of protesters diminished with each round of gas. About 200 remained late Tuesday, mostly young adults, some riding bicycles, protecting themselves from the noxious fumes with bandanas and scarves wrapped around their faces.

But at one point, reports CBS News correspondent John Blackstone, the crowd grew to more than 1,000 demonstrators, at least one of whom was injured when what appeared to be a tear gas canister hit his head.

Dozens arrested as "Occupy Atlanta" camp cleared

Police have established a presence in a plaza where a pre-dawn raid Tuesday dismantled an encampment of Occupy Wall Street protesters that had dominated the area for more than two weeks.

Authorities removed about 170 demonstrators who had been staying in the area overnight after repeatedly being warned that such a camp was illegal and they faced arrest by remaining. City officials said 97 people were arrested in the morning raid.

The first evening scuffle broke out after several hundred people made their way back to City Hall in an attempt to re-establish a presence in the area of the disbanded camp.

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"Occupy" protests: Month 2

The protesters had gathered at a downtown library, marched toward City Hall and ultimately were met by police officers in riot gear. Several small skirmishes broke out and officers cleared the area by firing tear gas.

The scene has repeated itself several times since. But each time officers move to disperse the crowd, protesters quickly gather again in assemblies that authorities have declared illegal. Tensions rise as protesters edge closer to police line and climax when someone throws a bottle or rock and authorities response with volleys of gas.

Police have denied reports that they used flash bang canisters to help break up the crowds, saying the loud noises came from large firecrackers thrown at police by protesters.

Helicopters scanned the area late Tuesday and scores of officers wearing helmets and carrying clubs patrolled the streets. Fire crews responded to small blazes in trash containers.

Protesters moved about uneasily even as one used a bull horn to express his resolve.

"This movement is more than just the people versus the police," Mario Fernandez said. "It's about the people trying to have their rights to basic services."

He added, "This crowd isn't going anywhere anytime soon."

Acting Police Chief Howard Jordan told reporters at a late night news conference that authorities had no other choice, saying the protesters were throwing rocks and bottles at officers.

"We had to deploy gas to stop the crowd," he said, according to a KCBS report.

City officials say that two officers were injured. At least five protesters were arrested and several others injured in the evening clashes.

The Oakland site was among numerous camps that have sprung up around the country, as protesters rally against what they see as corporate greed and a wide range of other economic issues. The protests have attracted a wide range of people, including college students looking for work and the homeless.

In Oakland, tensions between the city and protesters have been escalating since last week as officials complained about what they described as deteriorating safety, sanitation and health issues at the site of the dismantled camp.

[truthswami]

Syria, Yemen, Lybia....... Now United States of America????

I hope it is bloodless & successful so that our citizen could be given their job back from Indian and Chinese.... So that our citizens could start feeding their family again.

[davidd5063]

You plutocrat patsies in favor of our police state will have to forgive me. I just wasn't raised to NOT be DISGUSTED by scenes of police firing weapons at unarmed civilians rather than respect their right to peaceful assembly and protest. Disgusted me when it happened at Kent State and all over the South too. Disgusts me when it happens in other countries, but then it disgusts you patsies too??

[davidd5063]

For those who wish to ATTEMPT to defend the actions of the Oakland police department with the "they're just following orders" garbage, I would like to point out that the absence of a morality is not excusable - name one time police/military personnel have fired chemical weapons on unarmed civilians and were NOT "just following orders". Those "orders" are worthless without the patsy "trigger-men" to carry them out.

[davidd5063]

Am I the only one who noted that the city of Oakland appears to believe they have the right to determine when an assembly is or is not "lawful"? I need to read that Constitution thingy again because I missed the part about cities being allowed to determine the "lawfulness" of peaceful assembly.

[davidd5063]

It's amazing to me how the Tea Party patsies, who went and gathered where their corporate master told them to and repeat the talking points their corporate masters gave them, want to point out how their protest were "different" because they were NOT ATTACKED BY THE POLICE. News Flash patsies - in this country, if you protest and aren't attacked by the police, then you didn't really "protest" did you?

[Diaa22]

As long as you keep insisting on having a sleepover in a public place you are DISTRACTING everybody from your real message - if you have one.

[atleastwetry]

watch the videos from last night and tell me those are flashbangs.

[erichsh]

Hysterical! The same liberals wringing their hands over "police brutality" and the "right to protest" were out there proclaiming the Tea Party and its participants to be a band of marauding thugs. I don't recall any incidents of lawlessness or riots at any Tea Party rally.

[ZeDingo]

Yet more stories of the police using chemical warfare against peaceful protesters?

I know it's not your fault, officers, you have orders to follow. My problem is with the people who sent you, as well as those few jerk cops like Tony Baloney.

I think the Occupiers really are nonviolent, that the intent is nonviolent, but the more the police are ordered to attack civilians for simply voicing their dissent in the loudest way they can, the more likely this will turn from a protest into a riot, and from a riot into a rebellion. I only hope I can see it coming.

[ownedbyoil]

I've seen about a hundred bits of film with police firing tear gas canisters into the crowd, throwing what appear to be flash-bang grenades, and marching around in completely inappropriate riot gear. I haven't seen ONE, not ONE instance of a protester throwing a rock, a bottle or other object at the officers. In my opinion, this is misinformation on the part of police to justify their over-escalation against a peaceful protest.