Oakland police arresting about 100 protesters

(AP) 

Updated 11:13 PM ET

OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland officials say police are in the process of arresting about 100 Occupy protesters for failing to disperse.

Police Sgt. Christopher Bolton says the arrests come after Occupy Oakland protesters marched through downtown Oakland a little before 8 p.m. Saturday, with some of the protesters entering a YMCA building in the city's downtown.

The arrests Saturday night come after 19 people were arrested in Occupy Oakland protests during the day.

Police used tear gas and "flash" grenades Saturday to break up hundreds of Occupy protesters after some demonstrators started throwing rocks and flares at officers and tearing down fencing.

Three officers were hurt and 19 people were arrested, the Oakland Police Department said in a release. No details on the officers' injuries were released.

Police said the group started assembling at a downtown plaza Saturday morning, with demonstrators threatening to take over the vacant Henry Kaiser Convention Center. The group then marched through the streets, disrupting traffic.

The crowd grew as the day wore on, with afternoon estimates ranging from about 1,000 to 2,000 people.

The protesters walked to the vacant convention center, where some started tearing down perimeter fencing and "destroying construction equipment" shortly before 3 p.m., the release said.

Police said they issued a dispersal order and used smoke and tear gas after some protesters pelted them with bottles, rocks, burning flares and other objects.

Most of the arrests were made when protesters ignored orders to leave and assaulted officers, the release said. By 4 p.m., the bulk of the crowd had left the convention center and headed back downtown.

The demonstration comes after Occupy protesters said earlier this week that they planned to move into a vacant building and turn it into a social center and political hub. They also threatened to try to shut down the port, occupy the airport and take over City Hall.

In a statement Friday, Oakland City Administrator Deanna Santana said the city would not be "bullied by threats of violence or illegal activity."

Interim police Chief Howard Jordan also warned that officers would arrest those carrying out illegal actions.

Oakland officials said Friday that since the Occupy Oakland encampment was first established in late October, police have arrested about 300 people.

The national Occupy Wall Street movement, which denounces corporate excess and economic inequality, began in New York City in the fall but has been largely dormant lately.

Oakland, New York and Los Angeles were among the cities with the largest and most vocal Occupy protests early on. The demonstrations ebbed after those cities used force to move out hundreds of demonstrators who had set up tent cities.

In Oakland, the police department received heavy criticism for using force to break up earlier protests. Among the critics was the mayor, who said she wasn't briefed on the department's plans. Earlier this month, a court-appointed monitor submitted a report to a federal judge that included "serious concerns" about the department's handling of the Occupy protests.

[needahandout]

by hesrperus99 January 29, 2012 2:45 AM EST
More state repression of the right to public assembly. No democracy in America today, just the rights of private property, held in an incresingly smaller number of hands. The power structure is bankrupt, and is bankrupting us all.
_________________________________________________________________

Hi Hesperus, my name is The United States Supreme Court, have we met? I have ruled on the right to Free Speech and Right to Public Assembly several times and imposed limitations on When, Where and In What Manner these rights may be exercised. If you idiots took about 30 seconds to research it, you would be able to educate yourselves on the actual rights we enjoy in this country.

[DocD--2008]

"Among the critics was the mayor, who said she wasn't briefed on the department's plans."

If this is true its easy to fix it Mayor, FIRE THE POLICE CHIEF AND HIS CRONIES. How hard is that? You ARE HIS BOSS. Funny how every time this happens in your city you say you didn't know it was going to happen or are conveniently out of town....

[antoniof123]

At first I thought this was a picture of Syria?

Scary isn't it if we continue to go this direction there will be problems.

Looks like the US isn't going to get a free get out of jail card.

[Goofer-Buddy]

Why should Americans get better treatment than Syrians? What's wrong with you? Special treatment just because you are an American? The world needs to see we are not a bunch of sissies and we can take abuse just like anyone else....

[Rick03466]

When do these self important parasite get it. The only thing their action do is steal from the American Tax Payer. They are in effect Economic Terrorist and should be treated as such. Mr. Obama has seen fit (despite his promise eliminate it) to Keep the Patriot Act time for him to use it! Send the parasite in the park to GITMO

[longtree-2009]

sounds more like a riot than protests. oakland should punish them with heavy fines as no doubt their jails cannot hold hundreds arrested for any length of time. without any police forces the nation would be in complete anarchy and each person would be subject to sexual assault, robbery, and worse. oakland should ask for the army national guard for assistance if it gets any worse with the occupy rioting.

[Underdogus2011]

15 Trillion Dollars In Debt, 45 Million Americans on food stamps and Zero solutions on the horizon the new "american dream" is to get on welfare and get a free cell phone........................AMERICANS HAVE BECOME THE PARASITES OF THE WORLD!!

[green_blue]

Just another example of the rich getting their way by having "the problem removed" and paying the Police to do their dirty work.

So much for Freedom of Speech, protest and the American People!!

[Underdogus2011]

This is just the tip of the iceberg, especially areas like Oakland where income disparity is so prevalent.......

[rightbehind]

The police are nothing more than thugs for the wealthy. They could less about civil rights. I say a round of layoffs would be good for state and county budgets.

[needahandout]

Civil rights like Speech and Assembly have limitations. The Supreme Court has ruled on this. You'd know that if you could think for yourself and do your own research.

[booooooooooCBSboooooooooo]

Another fact the liberal media refuses to tell is the rat population has exploded at Oakland's OWS. Filthy Leftwing Felon pigs. They refuse to work. Don't tell me "economy". I've seen these types begging for money in a booming economy.