Demo a IES incinerator in Oakland 11/7/01.

On November 11, 2001 about 100 demonstrators gathered at Integrated Environmental Services, the medical incinerator facility on High Street in Oakland. This was the first time since the lock down on September 5 that folks have been there.

This demonstration involved a lot of interaction between demonstrators and workers, and demonstrators and Oakland PD. At One point workers closed the gates, then opened half the gate. Shortly after a trucks were used to partially contain the demonstrators. One truck, that was parked on the street, was driven a few feet and parked across the driveway. Another truck, inside the yard, was driven right towards the demonstrators and stopped about one inch away. When demonstrators lounged on the front of this truck, IES workers asked them to leave. Meanwhile, OPD had been called. It took them about fifteen minutes to arrive. During this fifteen minutes up to a dozen IES workers came into the yard. The community tried to be friendly, mostly they jeered. Some danced a little to the drumming.

When OPD arrived their first priority was allow the inside truck out and the outside truck in. Mostly polite, though they were a bit rough with a few people, they parted the demonstrators and the IES workers did their thing.

OPD then asked to see the sound permit for the bull horn to be used. This was produced. The exchanges that went on ranged from confrontational to friendly. Demonstrators insisted on being allowed their constitutional rights. No arrests were made.

A blockade was not intended at this demonstration. IES but in the communities lap.

That IES workers went through the motion of driving a large truck into the crowd is considered outrageous and unacceptable by the community.


At the end, Brett, who was removed from the gate with the jaws of life on 9/5, arrested and taken to Santa Rita, talked to a helmeted, motorcycle riding OPD officer. He explained to the cops surprise that he had been released without bail, that the judge understood that sometimes it is OK to break the law to make a point, and that no charges had been filed.