Gabriel Meyers arrested, charged with battery on BART GM

it was really kind of a boneheaded move. the njnb takeover was winding down and board members were on the verge of agreeing on accelerating plans for public meetings on weekends and evenings. now, who knows where that agreement is?

Blalock said, "It was scary."

He said speakers who packed the meeting "talked enough until someone exploded."

Blalock said, "Who knows what else could have happened."

BART Director Lynette Sweet also said she thinks that security should be tightened because the public's emotions are high in the wake of the Oscar Grant incident.

Blalock said, "I've been very generous" in allowing people to talk about the Grant incident.

Even though BART directors will be discussing the transit agency's budget and possible fare increases today, Blalock said he moved up the public comment period to the beginning of today's meeting because many protesters showed up.

Blalock didn't enforce the normal three-minute time limit for public comment today, but he said he will enforce it in the future.

The board meeting adjourned immediately after the 10:40 a.m. incident.

When it resumed at 11:20 a.m. Blalock didn't allow any more public comment except for two speakers who apologized for the man's actions and said the man didn't represent the people who spoke about the Oscar Grant incident.

Diana Davis-Marks, Grant's godmother, said, "What just took place is unacceptable to our family."

Dr. Ramona Tascoe said, "What occurred is nothing we planned and we decry it."

Directing her comments to BART police officers, Tascoe said, "We are glad you did not shoot this man and did not beat this man."

BART agreeing to an "accelerated" plan for public meetings might be of some value but BART isn't and will never be the source of any justice for Oscar or for Oakland; it's on us; an organized, involved and radical public is the goal, is our hope.

Does Gabe's action jeopardize any of that possibility? Really, does it?
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Secondly: How dare anyone disavow Gabe! As though anyone OWNS it all and has any right to pull such snotty bullshit.

Check yourself and check your classist, authoritarian crap, DOCTOR RAMONA!!

"Check yourself and check your classist, authoritarian crap, DOCTOR RAMONA!! "

Um, don't count me in on that. At least show some respect; it really is possible to agree to disagree on tactics, *and* acknowledge that the family may have interests of their own, *and* that that doesn't mean that we're on opposite sides of the fence by default. Getting in someone's face, especially someone from the family, is no way to build solidarity. Perhaps you're the one who needs to check yourself in this instance.

Yeah for Gabe. Good job bro. That stupid Bart GM deserved that. They are arrogant racist losers who need to be brought down to their knees and forced to the ground like Oscar Grant was...
BART will pay and so will the community if Bart and its cowardly cops don't heed our demands.
Which are charge Mehserle with homicide, and make him sit in jail for 20 years. Charge all the other BART cops who were involved, and fire Gee.
Disband and re-organize all of BART's Board of Directors, and make the train system safe for all.

If our demands are not met there will be fire in the streets, and paint on your blouses.

"Um, don't count me in on that. At least show some respect; it really is possible to agree to disagree on tactics, *and* acknowledge that the family may have interests of their own, *and* that that doesn't mean that we're on opposite sides of the fence by default."

I have no problem with different takes on tactics. But when it comes down to focusing on points of unity within an actual coalition, this is where the self appointed owners of the "coalition" are seriously hurting the organizing. It actually was the Dr. who was interrupting, speaking over Oscar's family,and shushing anyone she didn't cotton to. And to instantly disavow Gabe just as CAPE did when it lied about the after-rally participants on the 24th (the second march) claiming that they had nothing to do with the group(s) when that is patently false. Falling for this divisive hook baited with "respectable vs. outlaw protester" is short sighted and piggy.
And this among other things is one reason why CAPE is self-immolating.

seems like he falls into their purview

Yeah, that's very different than the family speaking on their own behalf. Organizers should know better, or they shouldn't bother being organizers.