Backstabber Report

Mayor Jean Quan and Police Brutality Against Oakland Occupy Wall Street

Mayor Jean Quan of Oakland, California learned little from the early days of police brutality in New York City. In NYC, during the first two weeks of that city using a violent, heavy hand against a few hundred protesters, it only generated more people coming out in support of OWS and the mainstream news media actually taking an interest. The OWS movement spread quickly after images of police brutality were broadcast. First, nationally and then, globally.

Mayor Jean Quan must have thought stupidity was the order of the day when she released her goons, known as the Oakland Police Department, on the peaceful protesters camped out in Oakland. In the early morning hours of Tuesday, October 24th, 2011 the explosions, smoke, and police violence resembled that of an urban war zone.

Oakland police made arrests at the Occupy Wall Street protests in Oakland that involved tear gas, flash grenades, and rubber bullets being used on the demonstrators. Among the injured in the clash was a two-time Iraq war veteran, Scott Olsen, who sustained a skull fracture after being shot in the head with a police projectile, according to Iraq Veterans Against the War. Olsen, a former Marine, was in critical condition Wednesday afternoon at Highland General Hospital in Oakland.

Scott is 24 years old, and was with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, before leaving the military last year. He is a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, Veterans for Peace, and a Courage to Resist supporter.

Among a growing number of war vets participating in the Occupy movement, Olsen was peacefully marching from a downtown library toward City Hall in an effort to reclaim an encampment that had been cleared out by police, a veterans group said.

“The city remains committed to respecting free speech as well as maintaining the city’s responsibility to protect public health and safety,” Oakland police said in a statement.

It appears the only free speech the Oakland Police allows is that speech which is deemed allowable by Mayor Jean Quan.

Otherwise, they will crush your skull.

The shame of it is that the police, part of the 99%, is being used as the muscle of the 1%.

Tell Oakland Mayor to end the brutality and investigate this incident:

• Email Mayor Jean Quan.
  
• Call the Mayor’s office: (510) 238-3141.
• Post a message on the mayor’s Facebook page.
• Photos of the incident (Indybay.org)
• Video of the incident (YouTube)