Iraq War Veteran in Critical Condition after Occupy Oakland police attack

[Riot]

This is unjustifiable police brutality:

Iraq War Veteran for Peace Scott Olsen, 24, is in critical condition with a skull fracture and brain swelling after peaceful protesters were attacked by police using tear gas, flash grenades and rubber bullets last night at Occupy Oakland.

As he lay unconscious and unmoving in front of the police line, multiple protesters ran to help him. A policeman in the line then lobbed another flash grenade on top of Olsen, scattering his helpers. Please look at the first video below, at least - caution, it is disturbing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZLyU...layer_embedded

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog...s-live#block-5

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011...ical-condition

Here is the video showing Olsen laying there, and the second attack on his helpers:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/1...in?detail=hide

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/1...on-with-police

Oakland Police have publicly denied using rubber bullets and flash bangs. There is ample video, from private people and ABC news, showing differently. ABC News had a live helicopter over the protest for several hours, documenting the multiple times police attacked the protesters to break them up

[dellinger63]

The cop who threw the flash grenade while the guy was down should step up and resign.

I wonder how the protestors feel about Obama trying to create (actually save) jobs by giving away tens of billions to pay police?

Hope the vet will be OK and has a quick recovery. That the protestors refrain from throwing rocks, bottles and utensils next time and the police don't lie about using tear gas and flash grenades. If the protestors would just follow the Tea Party protestors and assemble during the day, preferably on weekends, with signs and no tents, everyone would be happy.

And if the marine was shot where he was down he was likely shot at point blank or less than a 10-foot range. It's too dark in the video to see if police at the front line aimed weapons at the protestors or not.

[Riot]

There are tens of videos from Oakland last night on the internet, including from valid news organizations such as local ABC-7 that were there during the multiple hours of repeated attack waves.

You are welcome to try and find one where the protesters initiated just cause for violent police attack against peaceful protesters standing there, by tossing homemades bombs, firecrackers, etc. at the police.

The police are also lying about "we didn't use flash grenades and rubber bullets". Isn't that beyond obvious from the videos?

The Oakland PD are complete idiots, who are unawares that there are hundreds of cameras on their every move, and they can't get away with blatant lying any more?

Oakland PD have a bit of a rep, of course, for over-reaction. They came dressed in riot gear, fully armed. Let's hope tonight isn't worse. You can view it live on the internet, there are multiple live streams.

And I would like to remind you, that in America, we have the right to peacefully assemble in public and protest. No matter who doesn't like it.

[dellinger63]

Originally Posted by Riot

Oakland PD have a bit of a rep, of course, for over-reaction. They came dressed in riot gear, fully armed. Let's hope tonight isn't worse. You can view it live on the internet, there are multiple live streams.

And I would like to remind you, that in America, we have the right to peacefully assemble in public and protest. No matter who doesn't like it.

If they come dressed in riot gear let's hope the protestors take that as a signal to call it for the night and meet back in the morning.

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by dellinger63

If they come dressed in riot gear let's hope the protestors take that as a signal to call it for the night and meet back in the morning.

The quickest way to change public opinion and cause the American public to back the protestors, not to mention giving law enforcement a black eye, is continued over-reaction and use of heavy handed techniques by authorities. The media was our biggest ally during the Civil Rights Movement because it showed folks everywhere that many southern cops were nothing more than thugs, today...there is 1000% more coverage, yet authorities are making the same mistakes. Power doesn't always equate to intellect.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by dellinger63

If they come dressed in riot gear let's hope the protestors take that as a signal to call it for the night and meet back in the morning.

Because you believe that our Constitutional right to peaceful public assembly doesn't exist in the US?

And you call yourself a Libertarian?

[dellinger63]

Originally Posted by Riot

Because you believe that our Constitutional right to peaceful public assembly doesn't exist in the US?

And you call yourself a Libertarian?

Of course I support the right to peaceful assembly and protest. When it's done within the law and unfortunately in Oakland it is not. The cops went way too far last night but so did the protestors. Camping in public parks overnight is usually not legal so until that and park closing/curfew times get changed, they are breaking the law. Rhambo is doing the same thing in Grant Park so it's obviously a legal issue rather than a political one.

[Danzig]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/27/us...-protests.html

[Riot]

Originally Posted by dellinger63

Of course I support the right to peaceful assembly and protest. When it's done within the law and unfortunately in Oakland it is not. The cops went way too far last night but so did the protestors.

Baloney. No the protesters did not. It was all televised live on the internet, as it happened, and there is zero evidence that protesters did anything. In all the hours of video, all someone found is two instances where protesters threw empty teargas canisters back at the police after the police attacked the demonstrators.

The demonstrators were simply assembled peacefully, chanting.

The Oakland police are lying. They lied when they said they didn't use rubber bullets, and they lied again when they said they didn't use flash grenades. They say they are investigating the case of Scott Olsen as a "lethal weapon" misuse - but we'll see. Oakland has a bad history of shooting protesters for no reason, if you'll recall.

Camping in public parks overnight is usually not legal so until that and park closing/curfew times get changed, they are breaking the law.

They were not camping in the park when this happened. That park was literally destroyed by the police yesterday morning. Nobody was in the park, that was closed by police. They were in the public way.

Geeshus, stop talking about stuff you are completely ignorant about. How can you possibly smugly say, "the protesters went too far" when you are so obviously clueless about what happened?

And if you think a loitering misdemeanor - but since when did being peacefully protesting on a public sidewalk stop being legal? - with passive resistance is cause for teargas, rubber bullets, flash grenades and fractures skulls, you're beyond help.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Danzig

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/27/us...-protests.html

Yes, and the main complaint seems to be, "Get the hell off your lawn in your park, you damn Americans".

[geeker2]

Isn't the Mayor of Oakland a liberal democrat ? She ordered the police to clear out the protesters. See just another reason to vote Republican in 2012.

[Antitrust32]

i absolutely despise cops.

whoever threw that flash bang should be locked up in general population for a long, long time.

Americans should NEVER be attacked for peaceful protesting.

[Riot]

Footage found today that shows Scott Olsen standing before the police (he's in camo hat and coat, next to the sailor from Veterans for Peace holding the flag) - being shot in the head with a teargas cannister.

There is zero provocation. This also proves there are no "bottles, fireworks, rocks" being thrown at the police. Zero. The public police department claim that they fired at the protesters as they were being attacked by protesters is a complete lie.

Everyone knew it from the live feeds when it happened, and videos already released, this is just more direct proof.

http://vimeo.com/31187119

You can also see the paralyzed vet in the wheelchair, who was attacked with tear gas by the police (and is famously in many images of that night)

[Cannon Shell]

http://m.motherjones.com/mojo/2011/1...sters-violence

Again here we are with police dressed as storm troopers and a sickening justification for brutality over a few hurled bottles, paint, and an unconfirmed claim of a urine bomb? So these cops, who basically are in body armor, are justified almost killing a man? Get the f.uck out of here with that bulls.hit propaganda.

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

Again here we are with police dressed as storm troopers and a sickening justification for brutality over a few hurled bottles, paint, and an unconfirmed claim of a urine bomb? So these cops, who basically are in body armor, are justified almost killing a man? Get the f.uck out of here with that bulls.hit propaganda.

[dellinger63]

Good News

Meanwhile, Scott Olsen, the Iraq War vet whose skull was fractured at a protest in Oakland, is expected to make a full recovery, officials there said

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/m...#ixzz1c5FjZlVJ

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by dellinger63

Good News

Sort of a misleading post....the "good news" is that the police will sue protestors, a sentence at the very end stating that he is expected to fully recover. I am glad that he will recover and hope that there will be no more injuries on either side but again, police departments across the country seem under trained and unprepared to deal with protests. Police find themselves on the front line and become the face of oppressive behavior but they are under orders from mayors and other high ranking officials. I was discharged from the Army in 1971...40 years ago. Yet the training I received as an MP appears vastly superior to that afforded to police today with regards to crowd control and dealing peacefully with protests. One has to wonder why???