The Oakland Demo for Justice in Palestine -- An Impressionistic Report

The Oakland Demo for Justice in Palestine -- An Impressionistic Report
by Carolyn Scarr

"And everyone 'neath their vine and fig tree
Shall live in peace and unafraid…"

The words of this song begins a six hour vigil for peace in the rotunda of the Oakland Federal Building shortly before noon on May 7, 2002.

About a dozen people circle two of the columns in the marble-floored, glass-roofed hall. As the signs between them are removed, it is seen that their hands are enclosed by cylindrical lock-boxes painted a strong yellow with the words "Unlock Palestine -- No Guns to Israel" stenciled in black letters.

This is the message of the afternoon. Shortly after noon a hundred marchers arrive with puppets, signs and a banner which is strung between two of the light poles of the plaza in front of the building. The banner reads "No U.S. Guns for Israeli Occupation". Two people of incredible stamina remain on the poles with the banner. Most of the marchers enter the rotunda to support the people locked down.

Among the signs and banners--

Guernica

Jenin . . . .

Baghdad

Monuments to Imperialism

Security for Israelis requires Justice for Palestine

Jewish Voices for Peace

a reprint of the notorious Oakland Tribune front page of April 15 in which

"Arafat won't halt violence" headlined a photo of the Israeli destruction of Jenin

The demonstrators ask someone from the State Department to come to the Oakland Federal Building to negotiate their demands.

As the authorities consider this request, "Occupation is a crime. Israel out of Palestine" and other chants echo in the noisy space. Singers offer a range of songs. The bouncy acoustics magnify the beauty of the music.

Ridge Wood reports on his recent visit to the Occupied Territories with the International Solidarity Movement. He had gone to Bethlehem and as he tried to get to Beit Jala he had been fired on by Israeli troops.

Chant -- "not in our name" is the response to a litany of destruction and death, the uprooting of olive trees, the bulldozing of homes, the massacre of civilians. The people in lock boxes have been standing with arms extended for over an hour. A massage therapist stands behind one, rubbing tired shoulders.

Jean Paul Sartre is read -- from an essay "You are Wonderful", in "Colonialism and Neocolonialism" written at the time of the French-Algerian war . A phrase jumps out at me which seems to describe the American people's situation, "the state of false ignorance".

Eventually a man from the State Department arrives. His name is Chris Amyes. He is "Assistant Special Agent in charge of the San Francisco Field Office Diplomatic Security Service". He does not carry a card. He has no authority to discuss or negotiate the demonstrators demands. He cannot call anyone in the State Department to discuss what is happening in the Occupied Territories. One of the protestors who had been at the shut down of the Israeli Consulate recognizes Mr. Amyes; he had been observed going in and out of the building housing the Consulate and conferring with the San Francisco Police. Mr. Amyes says, "No one in the Bay Area is in a position to negotiate the demands." He doesn't know anyone anywhere else who is. By and by he leaves. Clearly he is just a high level cop with a long title.

The afternoon progresses. Supporters drift away, but some thirty or so remain. The people in lock-boxes have sat down or lain down on the cold, cold marble. The gathering is addressed by former Berkeley Mayor Gus Newport who observes that for too long the U.S. has underwritten the Israeli policy of occupation.

Darryl Cherney comes by after his day in court. He tells us that the FBI has expanded out of domestic security and is giving advice to Israel, exporting our oppression and spying techniques. He says he is Jewish by decent and finds it hard to live with seeing the Jewish state oppressing the Palestinians. He prays for a Palestinian state. He declares that it is all about oil, "exchanging human rights for the greasy dollar bill."

About 3:30 the building manager comes to say that those inside will be "escorted outside." The eleven demonstrators in lock boxes and some supporters remain in the rotunda. Three of the supporters are removed to the outdoors and left on the sidewalk. The others are arrested and taken to the Oakland jail, leaving those in lock-boxes encircling the pillars of the rotunda. I see one man being hurried along by the Oakland police who have his arms twisted behind his back in pain holds. He is saying "I'm walking. I'm walking." When they get him outside he says, "I will not give my name to torturers." The police bundle him into the paddy wagon.

The lock boxes seem to baffle the police. Fire department personnel arrive with bolt cutters, which do not even begin to cut the lock boxes. They walk in and out of the Federal Building with their bolt cutters, frustration showing in their gait. Finally saws are brought to cut the cylinders in two, and that goes fairly easily and fast. One demonstrator gets sawed, but no stitches are required. These demonstrators are also taken to the Oakland jail.

At the end, the fire department goes around in front of the Federal Building to get down a man who has stayed on the light pole with the banner all afternoon. They back a big, huge fire engine onto the plaza which seriously cracks the pavement. The man slides down the pole into the gathered crowd.

The sixteen arrested demonstrators are released by 9:00 p.m. They are charged with trespassing.

This demonstration was organized by people from QUIT! (Queers Undermining Israeli Terror), Art & Revolution, Mustard Seed Affinity Group, Freedom Rising Affinity Group, Active Solidarity, Black Bean Riot, Franciscan Affinity Group, Infinity for Now Affinity Group, No-Name Medical Collective, RACE (Revolutionary Anti-Authoritarians of Color).

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The demands of the demonstrators

WE CALL ON THE US GOVERNMENT
TO END ITS SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL'S OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE:

1) NO GUNS TO ISRAEL
Immediately end U.S. aid to Israel, all of which is used for guns, bombs, tanks and fighter jets and redirect these resources to meet urgent domestic human and environmental needs.

2) APPLY REAL PRESSURE
Apply real pressure on the Israeli government to end the illegal military occupation of Palestine, end their apartheid state system and recognize the right of Palestinian refugees to return home. Real pressure includes:

o Close the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv.

o Impose economic sanctions against Israel and against U.S. companies doing business with Israel

o Support the indictment of General Ariel Sharon for war crimes in an international court, such as that which indicted Slobodan Milosevic.

3) SUPPORT JUST INTERNATIONAL SOLUTIONS

o Support a neutral, international protection force for Palestine, such as those employed in Bosnia, Kosovo and Somalia (the U.S. has consistently blocked the U.N. from sending such a force).

o Send high-ranking diplomats on the fact-finding mission to Jenin and insist that the Israelis stop blocking access to the camp.

o Demand Israel comply with International Law: The U.N. Charter, the Fourth Geneva conventions and U.N. resolutions to end the occupation (Resolution 242 and 338), right of return for Palestinian refugees (Resolution 194), and noninterference with humanitarian efforts and fact finding missions, like the one to Jenin.