“The Oakland City Council voted Tuesday night to pay $6.5 million in two search warrant cases from 2008 that claimed several Oakland police officers falsified sworn affidavits resulting in illegal raids on homes in East and West Oakland.
The two federal civil rights lawsuits, representing 104 people, stemmed from allegations that a number of officers had misstated facts in sworn affidavits over a period of several years to Alameda County judges, indicating they had tested substances bought on the street to determine if they were drugs even though no test was ever conducted on the substances.”
*****
When considering all this it’s good to keep in mind what happened in Detroit to Aiyana Jones and to think about the prevalence of SWAT raids. This is terror on the order of what is unleashed on Iraqis by US house raids.
“Here’s what one eye-witness was filmed saying to local TV. Again she watched it out the window of her house in Fruitvale, a short distance from the rail station:
“When they turned here at the corner, there was, I want to say, about 10 policemen, all gathered together. And then I saw this man walking backwards, like this (both hands up), saying, ‘Shoot me, shoot me, shoot me’! And the police, I didn’t hear none of the police say anything. They were just gathered together, following him while he was walking backwards all the way through that street,” said Letty, who did not give her last name. “And then all of a sudden, I hear a little pop and then right after that I hear bup, bup, bup, bup, bup!””
*****
The Bay View piece shows convincingly that the police story is filled with holes. Even the eye-witnesses have very different accounts. Either way, the words of a 14 year-old in the story stand out: They didn’t have to kill him. OPD operates as judge, jury, and executioner — and so far, no one even knows what the alleged crime was.
“Oakland and BART police officers shot and killed a man Saturday morning near the Fruitvale BART Station when, authorities said, he charged the officers holding a knife in each hand after leading them on a chase for blocks.
Five officers opened fire on the man when he threatened an officer after police unsuccessfully tried to subdue him with a Taser stun gun, Oakland police Officer Jeff Thomason said.”
*****
When does it stop?
The overwhelming police force summoned by Oakland and its mutual aid pacts was not able to stop property damage and looting. Despite police from Fremont, Vallejo, Berkeley, San Francisco and perhaps even hundreds of California HIghway patrol, protests lasted until after 11pm when Russel and I stopped our shift.
The protest at 14th and Broadway was shut down soon after the 8pm end time of the authorized speakout. The intersection was closed to traffic but was completely surrounded by thick lines of cops at each cross street. When the mic shut down, some people tried to march. Cops even began advancing on the crowd at one point only moments after the end of the program.
There were probably over 1000 people in attendence. Some left after the speakout but others came. What was clear was that the incredible cost of paying so many cops did not yield the desired result: I saw stores that had windows smashed and a couple were looted (jewelry store, Foot Locker, few others). Many windows broken, mostly corporate. Lots of graffiti and some small fires. So far about 50 arrests.
It strikes me that the overwhelming force was used to disrupt and prevent a march. However, the strategy of using so many cops to close streets and chase people meant that the crowd was in small clumps, each equally capable of taking a side street and doing what they wanted. It was also noted that stores that were damaged were left COMPLETELY unsecured by police even though they had hundreds at their disposal. Even a few cops in those places could have helped the small businesses they had earlier claimed to want to protect.
The Afghanistan approach, or massive military style DID NOT achieve its objective! Try winning hearts and minds next time!
The following are links to helpful sites if you are trying to follow the coverage from Oakland. We’ll try to have updates from the ground as soon as they start to arrive.
“In preparation for the verdict, the Oakland Police Department has conducted training exercises for crowd control and riots. Once the jury begins its deliberations, officers will be on standby, and the department is instructing its officers not to take vacation during that time. An Oakland desk officer added that departments around the Bay Area are also preparing to act when the verdict arrives.
Police are also monitoring fliers, notices and social networking websites, including Twitter and Facebook, in an attempt to gain early notice of mass gatherings or public events.”
*****
Well, it shouldn’t be too difficult for anyone watching to see who the OPD serves – it certainly isn’t “justice.” Let’s hope some of their fear translates into real consequences for Mehserle.
*****
Apparently, OPD can find the money to threaten protesters. After all, what else can you consider an exercise like this other than an explicit threat of violence? Yet, they can’t figure out how to do important community functions or even to solve murder cases. Of course, they positively oppose a just verdict in one murder case we know of…
Sgt Patrick Gonzales is one of Oakland’s most notorious killers.
In 2001 Gonzales was accused of strip searching a young man in broad daylight and then dislocating his jaw.
In March of 2002 he shot and killed Joshua Russell for supposedly be involved in an armed robbery
In June of 2006 Gonzales shot and wounded Amir Rollins for supposedly being armed with a shotgun
In September of 2007 Gonzales shot and killed Gary King who was unarmed.
On March 21, 2009 Gonzales after being shot in the shoulder shot and killed Lovelle Mixon as he and other Oakland Swat moved on the apt Mixon was in.
At the moment this murderer is being paid more then 200,000$ a year for terrorizing the residents of Oakland.
EVERYONE ONE IN OAKLAND NEEDS TO KNOW THE IDENTITY OF PATRICK GONZALES, HE IS A THREAT TO US ALL!!!!!
“A federal appeals court upheld $3.7 million in damages Tuesday against the city of Oakland and two police officers who, according to a jury, planted an assault rifle on a parolee’s property.
Jurors found in November 2007 that the officers had violated the civil rights of the parolee, Torry Smith, and his then-girlfriend, Patricia Gray, by fabricating a case against Smith to justify his arrest in September 2004.”
*****
In Oakland, it’s really not that hard to spot the real criminals… THEY’RE IN UNIFORM.
Many CWers were out in the East Bay on March 4. Several were among those arrested on the 880. I’ve been really busy lately, so I’m just now getting around to putting this stuff up on the site. Anyway, here are videos shot by protesters and news crews:
You can also watch the amazing events at UC Davis here.
