News Brief

Berkeley police lent support to Oakland police at Occupy Oakland demonstration

October 26, 2011 4:23 pm by Tracey Taylor

Occupy Oakland demonstrations on Tuesday October 25. Photo: Queena Kim/The Bay Citizen

The Berkeley Police Department sent fifteen officers to the Occupy Oakland demonstration Tuesday evening to support the Oakland Police in its efforts to break up the protests. “The Oakland Police Department (OPD) requested mutual aid through the Alameda County Mutual Aid Coordinator, who in turn requested mutual aid from various law enforcement agencies within the county,” BPD Public Information Officer Sergeant Mary C. Kusmiss told Berkeleyside.

“The basis of the request was that OPD was unable to address and manage the situation safely (and take care of the City of Oakland) with their internal resources. On the night of Tuesday, October 25, BPD sent one squad of 12 BPD officers, two sergeants and a Lieutenant.”

The Berkeley Daily Planet today reported that Berkeley Police took part in “the assault” on the Occupy protesters and posted video footage of the clashes between police and protestors. The Oakland Tribune also reported that outside police agencies — including the Berkeley department and UCPD — were called in to aid Oakland police.

Sgt Kusmiss said the level of involvement of the BPD was minimal. “We served as outer perimeter and traffic control,” she said “BPD officers were not involved in any use of tear gas or any other form of non-lethal force.”

The Bay Citizen is reporting that an Iraq vet was critically wounded in the protests, possibly from a shot to the head. An Oakland police officer told The Bay Citizen that the police department is investigating a use of force incident that caused serious injuries, but that it may not be OPD who was responsible. On Tuesday night, Oakland police said officers did not use any rubber bullets or non-lethal munitions to quell the protest.

Four Occupy protestors attended Berkeley City Council last night, according the the Daily Californian, to request support from councilmembers and to ask that the city not take police action at the Occupy Berkeley demonstrations.

Related:
All quiet at Occupy Berkeley camp at MLK Park [10.26.11]
Berkeley joins 900 cities to condemn corporate greed [10.16.11] 

28 Comments

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  • Bruce Love

    There is something confused in the way the Bay Citizen report got summarized.

    First, the tear gas rounds and flash-bangs are non-lethal munitions and were deployed.  Current accounts are that USMC Scott Olsen’s injuries were from being struck in the head by a teargas canister.

    Second, OPD did not say that other non-lethal munitions weren’t used.  What they said was that OPD did not fire rubber bullets or other non-lethal munitions on Tuesday evening.  This is a bit of a misdirection. 

    Jordan’s line so far is that he “doesn’t know” if any of the police used rubber bullets.  He confirms that in the morning raid OPD used beanbag munitions.  He knows that OPD did not use rubber bullets because OPD doesn’t have any.  Any of the other 16 responding agencies might have used rubber bullets.   Some protesters are showing reporters injuries reported to be from rubber bullets or beanbag munitions.

  • http://berkeleyside.com Tracey Taylor

    Bruce: I have reworked that paragraph and quoted directly from The Bay Citizen to avoid any confusion in our reporting.

  • Heather W.

    I watched the news this morning, and again tonight (haven’t had time to read much today): Scott Olsen was on the ground after being slammed in the head by a beanbag. When other protestors ran to help, a police officer (said to be from Santa Clara or S.F. counties) lobbed a flash grenade into the group attempting to help the veteran.  

  • berkopinionator

    Maybe each department should put some markings on their ammunition. rubber bullets and bean bags so that when there is a multi-agency response it will be easier to tell what department was shooting what.

  • libraterian

    I blame Jerry Garcia’s untimely death for this “Occupy Ourselves” mess, the stadium tree sit and a host of other camp out protests. If he was still touring, these poor bored folk would be touring with him. 

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_V6KQTJGAQAZXMNEIKG5LM2IHZU Tizzielish

    Is anyone else skeptical that it was necessary to take down the tent city in Oakland?  I would rather see tent cities in city parks all across the country, for as long as any citizens chose to freely assembly to voice their beliefs, than to see any police action to limit that speech.

  • Oakland resident

    I have been told by several sources that Frank Ogawa Plaza is filled with rats — on a good night. Add to that food and excrement and this goes beyond free assembly, it becomes a health hazard to those that live or have to work in the area. No one was limiting the speech, they were addressing a very filthy, smelly situation. Trust me, you wouldn’t want that tent city in your front yard.

  • Anthony Sanchez

    These mutual aid agreements with various agencies, such as UCPD or OPD are extremely important and will be taken up by the CIty Council on November 8th as action item #25. I highly encourage people to come and express any concerns they have with the types of aid we will provide and in what circumstances -i.e. Occupy Oakland. Additionally, there are concerns about UCPD policing in our jurisdiction but not abiding by BPD policies, such as refraining from towing the vehicles of the undocumented when possible. Last, there’s also the issue of the nature of our cooperation with the FBI, Joint Terrorism Task Forces, etc. and intelligence gathering. These are, at the very least, complicated issues that need to be discussed and question before adoption.

  • Gururajeev

    Sometimes democracy is messy.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_V6KQTJGAQAZXMNEIKG5LM2IHZU Tizzielish

    I recognize the potential health hazards. I also know that the City of Oakland hosts some massively attended for-profit festivals that successfully address health hazard concerns. The City of Oakland could have addressed public health and public safety concerns without demolishing the tent city like marauding huns, without stealing the personal property of tents, sleeping bags, etc.

    I just read, in the LATimes that Occupy Oakland has already reclaimed the plaza. Praise goddess.  I hope the protestors refuse to give in to the inappropriate use of police force.

  • Alina77419

    What excrement?!?! The campers were civilized and clean.  Had portapotties brought in and paid for their maintenance.  But let’s entertain for a second the idea that they were messy.  So? It still does not justify paying millions in police OT to prevent some people from pitching a tent at City Hall….. And in Oakland out of all places.  The City is laying off cops and closing schools because they’re in a budget crisis.  And this is how they prioritize the little money they have?!!  On tear gas and out of town reinforcements?!  What exactly was the emergency?! Rats?!!!   If I was an Oakland taxpayer I’d be furious right now! 

  • Thomas Richardson

    Funny to describe these agreements in the terms “mutual aid”. For a second I was getting excited.

  • libraterian

    This tired schtick about how the “Man” is messin’ with our freedoms no longer has a place in city where eating pizza on the median is the largest form of civil disobedience. 

    If the “man” was messin’ with our freedoms at all, it’d be our freedom to retire. We’ll have to keep working to support those four (five?) retired Berkeley police chiefs (at $200k a pop.)

  • Bruce Love

    The General Assembly of Occupy Oakland has called for a city-wide general strike, including a student strike,  on November 2, promising to march on banks and corporations which do not close shop for the day.

    http://www.occupyoakland.org/2011/10/general-strike-mass-day-of-action/

  • Anonymous

    Because nothing says “we want jobs” like harassing hard working 99%ers with jobs.

  • http://radar.oreilly.com/2007/09/local-recycle-reuse-hits-a-bur.html The Sharkey

    Camping in the public park in front of Oakland’s City Hall is illegal.
    Camping in the public park in front of Oakland’s City Hall is not an effective form of protest since Oakland’s City government is not responsible for any of the things the Occupy protesters are protesting against.

    Camping in front of Oakland’s City Hall to protest the actions of Wall Street and the Federal Government is stupid.

  • http://radar.oreilly.com/2007/09/local-recycle-reuse-hits-a-bur.html The Sharkey

    Yeah, I mean why bother marching on Sacramento, Washington D.C. or Wall Street when we can just pick on the working stiffs in Oakland? Rioting in the streets and disrupting services brought Oscar Grant back from the dead and shut down the BART Police, right? Totally effective.

  • http://radar.oreilly.com/2007/09/local-recycle-reuse-hits-a-bur.html The Sharkey

    Sometimes enforcing local laws against illegal encampments in public parks is messy.

  • Alina

    Even so, do you think spending millions to remove some illegal and stupid campers was the right thing to do for Oakland?

  • http://ryantate.com ryantate

    UCPD oversight structures (e.g. review commissions) are also incredibly lax and toothless in comparison to BPD oversight. In my experience, UCPD officers tend to be more antagonist and inflammatory. I have had almost universally positive experiences with BPD officers, although it is disturbing to hear about their involvement with this incident in Oakland.

  • libraterian

    Property damage and disruption of business losses: $100,000

    Police overtime and inter-agency assistance: $50,000

    Bruce Love delivering dispatches from “The General Assembly of Occupy Oakland”: Priceless

  • Anonymous

    Clean and civilized? Are you serious? Have you actually been there??

    The owner of Sankofa African Arts and Jewelry said that on the two mornings since protesters returned, her front doorway has reeked of urine.She said her business has declined by 80 percent since Occupy Oakland began.”I really, really want them to leave,” said the owner, who gave only her first name, Ellen. She has owned her business for 17 years. “What they are doing is making business worse.”A camp supporter overheard her lament and shouted: “You would have lost your business anyway with the way the economy is going.”Ellen burst into tears.
    Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/10/28/MN951LNTGB.DTL#ixzz1cDqxfSpN

  • Heather W.

    And many of us who get paid by the hour cannot afford to take the day off.

  • http://profiles.google.com/wiseoldsnail wiseold snail

    you have been told by many sources that there were fewer rats due to human presence, less urine than usual because of porta potties..  and i’m telling you now that i had an oakland police officer tell me that the same person has been occasionally defecating on the sidewalks near the plaza for years.  one person, having nothing to do with this camp, ‘cept that he may’ve been blessed with food the past few weeks.  quit passing misinformation.  i’ve been at the plaza pretty much every day and into the night.

  • http://profiles.google.com/wiseoldsnail wiseold snail

    so don’t take the day off, but come to the plaza after work.

  • http://profiles.google.com/wiseoldsnail wiseold snail

    anxiously awaiting verification of property damage.  business losses only just now started mattering to you?  do you have the stats on businesses closing down due to greedy banks refusing to loan money to small business?  

  • Alina

    Yes, I have been there.  I don’t see why you’re making this personal.

    As far as Sankofa’s doorway reeking of urine – hopefully this is no longer a problem since the portapotties have been reinstalled now.  I think they were gone for a couple of days following the raid.  I wish Ellen and Sankofa well. 
    Please take these news stories with a grain of salt.  Reporters like to highlight problems.  That’s what sells papers. I will continue to support Oakland, its businesses and its occupiers.  As Oaklandish put it in a FB post this past Friday, “We
    all know that there’s more to this town than the pictures on the news.
    Oakland has always been a hotbed of renegade activity. But it’s also
    home to a thriving community of small businesses – neighbors that need
    your local love more than ever.
    So whether it’s for a walk, a
    drink, or just to see what all the fuss is about, come downtown and help
    this city’s heart beat on. The whole world is watching Oakland right now. However you choose to do it this weekend, represent.”

  • Berkeleycopwatch

    Berkeley cops carried less-lethal munitions. At least one had no badge visible and several were involved in preventing civilian monitors from watching the police actions at the plaza. Yes, they were definitely involved and it wasn’t just directing traffic. Come to Berkeley City Council mtg this Tuesday Nov. 9th at 7pm to say no mutual aid to help Oakland stop peaceful protest.