Feature Archives

On January 9, the general assembly at Occupy Oakland passed a resolution calling on occupies across the country to support a national occupy day in support of prisoners. In the following month, over a dozen communities across the nation followed in planning local demonstrations, including those in Los Angeles, Fresno, and Portland. On February 20, hundreds of demonstrators marched to San Quentin Prison where a rally was held in solidarity with the National Occupy Day in Support of Prisoners.

Occupy Oakland planned to reclaim a large vacant building with the purpose of putting it to use as a social center, kicking the new occupation off with a two day festival packed with speakers, workshops and performances. Marchers headed toward the abandoned Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center, but Oakland police formed lines of riot police on perimeter streets and around the building. Tear gas was fired at marchers in front of the convention center, and again in large amounts along with projectiles around the corner at 10th and Oak streets. Later, another march headed through downtown Oakland, presumably to find an alternative building to claim as community space. Police kettled marchers in the Uptown Apartments park on Telegraph, and then again on Broadway in front of the YMCA. At the YMCA, hundreds were arrested, including several independent journalists. Many of those not kettled then marched back to the plaza where protesters burned a flag on the steps of City Hall.

In a call-out for a march at 1pm from 14th Street & Broadway to a rally at the Fruitvale BART station on January 1st, 2012, organizers write: "The movement that touched ground in January 2009 — the organizing to address police terrorism — laid the ground work for the movement against the 1% here in Oakland. The polarizing disparity of wealth and the numerous police killings in our communities are inextricably linked. To unravel a system that forecloses homes, pushes our families into poverty and criminalizes our youth while gentrifying our neighborhoods, we need to not only address a system based on greed but a system that needs police brutality to survive and thrive through state terror. On this 3rd anniversary of Oscar’s murder, lets take to the streets to show that Oscar Grant is gone but not forgotten. Oscar lives on in the memories of his family and friends and in our resistance to the police."

On December 17, approximately 75-100 community members protesting the desecration of Rattlesnake Island, the spiritual center of the Elem Pomo community, marched to the Piedmont mansion of John Nady, the owner of Nady Systems, who has been one of those pushing for the development of the island as the location of two luxury-style vacation homes. Community members first circled up and held a rally near the Lakeview library branch in Oakland, then proceeded to march two miles up and into the hills of Piedmont where Nady owns a large home, and a short demonstration was held that featured speeches as well a spirited singing of the AIM song.

Community pickets and mass mobilizations to blockade ports have been planned for December 12th by Occupy movements in San Diego, LA, Oakland, Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, Vancouver, and Houston. Occupy Anchorage, Occupy Denver, and Occupy Wall Street are targeting Goldman Sachs and Walmart on the 12th. Solidarity actions are being planned as far away as in Japan. In Oakland, marches to the port will begin at 5.30am at West Oakland BART. At 3pm, people will rally at 14th and Broadway, followed by a 4pm sharp march to the port. A 5pm march to the port will leave from West Oakland BART.

For the 10th straight year, community members gathered on Black Friday to protest the desecration of the sacred Ohlone shellmounds in Emeryville that were disturbed when the Bay Street Mall was constructed on top of them. The demonstration was on November 25 this year, and organizers of the event hoped to educate shoppers about the Ohlone burial sites, and that there were other shopping alternatives located nearby. A short rally during this year's demonstration featured speeches by Ohlone and Native American activists as well as a representative of Occupy/Decolonize Oakland.

On Saturday, November 19th, a day of mass actions, Occupy Oakland will set up a new occupation in the park and empty lot on 19th and Telegraph adjacent to the Fox Theater in the rapidly gentrifying Uptown neighborhood and entertainment district. A massive march planned for the day will end at this park and Occupy Oakland will begin setting up a new camp. Occupy Oakland is asking for all committees and supporters to begin making plans in whatever way they can to assist the new occupation and come prepared to make it happen.