North Berkeley BART Station Smashed

How does this accomplish anything? You are vandalizing public transportation...not directing your rage to the POLICE that killed Oscar. I used to believe anarchists were allies, until I saw the numb skull tactics like this that were misdirected against communities. It goes right along with the moron who sent a bomb threat through the long-haul....shutting down the long-haul's community computer lab. Probably another UC Berkeley self righteous white "radical" student lacking common sense. Why don't you try looking at the message you are sending when you are attacking a public transport station that thousands of people rely on for work and school? Why don't you use your brain when you are performing property destruction as protest?

The people of Oakland are really pissed at you for trashing their neighborhoods on Wednseday night, and you have been totally ineffective at directing your rage towards the police. Businesses owned by people of color were trashed by a bunch of elitist more radical than thou "anarchists". It's truly Pathetic. You made Oscar's mother and family cry when you did this... You care less about being effective revolutionaries than you do about getting your rocks off on performing in live riot porn. Sad.

Actually, it was the non-activist types at the demo on Wednesday night who broke most of the windows at non-corporate outlets, so get your facts straight before you start blaming stupid anarchists for everything that makes you sad or doesn't turn out how you'd prefer from the comfort of your armchair. Loser. Maybe disrupting school and work is part of how some radicals view social transformation. Revolution is not a popularity contest after all, except for politicians-in-training like you. Besides, how is breaking the windows at a BART station disruptive of the transportation, which is ... UNDERGROUND at that station you fucking moron.

I think that writing Grant's name in memorial was a good action, but not smashing windows. The transportation systems belong to the PEOPLE. We NEED public transportation.

Smashing up BART just means that the cops will get paid for overtime. It's like you're doing them a favor! On the other hand, all the working-class people that take bart to work will suffer through reduced public transportation. You're accomplishing the OPPOSITE of what you want. Your actions make poor people suffer and puts more money into the hands of the cops. A cops loves riots: it's fun and exciting and he gets paid extra. Geez, maybe you should try thinking.

The parents of these kids will pay in their taxes for the windows in the end and the public will now view "the anarchists" as violent thugs, not radicals making change.

If this wasn't done by a mole, it's idiotic, people, it really is.

YOU CAN'T BREAK THE GLASS OF A SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP

You only see white Berkeley student-anarchists breaking windows and spraypainting slogans. Are the kids in East Oakland doing such lame shit? Fuck no! Over there, they're actually fighting the pigs -- not passively sloganeering about fighting, but doing the actual deed.

Do you really think that the Greeks were such covert liberals like you all? Fuck no, they kicked the shit out of the cops in the full light of day. You might learn a lesson or two by reading up on the SOCIAL MOVEMENT in Greece.

You broke windows when no one was around; so fucking what! I think you all should go back to gluing the locks in doors. It's matches your level of analysis better. Aren't there some dumpsters begging to be dived? Eat up! Yum, yum!

And then what?

Cops will just kick the shit out of the next young guy they get their hands on in the dark of night. Does that solve the problem?

Kids who attack cops do that because they live with violence all the time and it comes natural, have rage and probably very few opportunities in life.

Kids who smash glass and spray slogans do that because they've never held a gun, they've never been really hit and they have the skin color or the family wealth that means they will be educated and buffered.

Neither of those groups are wrong, they each just do what they know.

Was walking with candles the solution? Ultimately, it would have only amounted to some nice photo ops for newspaper photographers, little more.

But better targets would have been the buildings of public officials. If cops were attacked, well, that's to be expected when a uniformed man murders in broad daylight and there is zero accountability, zero openness, zero response. And the rage was justified. The people of the city will have to pay for the fatal errors and misdeeds of those who hold the power over them. This was a little of taking that power back, spontaneously and explosively. The city made a big big mistake, but the people are the ones who will pay.

How many of those smashing cars do anything to make change?

Most probably frequent "Mickey D's" at any opportunity and pay a lot of money to watch the Raiders, work shit jobs. They don't vote, they don't know of any community groups, they don't spend any of their time trying to change things, just explode smashing things when it all goes too far for their tastes.

And then we all pay.

Lee Y. Pang, 28, of Oakland was charged with misdemeanor possession of a concealed weapon and possession of a loaded firearm. Pang was arrested on the 2000 block of Broadway at about 11 p.m. and said, "I've got guns in both my pockets," as he was taken into custody, police said.

Police found two semiautomatic pistols, one in each pocket, authorities said.

A 20-year-old Oakland man, Andrew Lewis, was charged with felony possession of cocaine and misdemeanor vandalism for allegedly breaking windows at the McDonald's restaurant at 14th and Jackson streets.

The third man, Cleveland Valrey Jr., 30, of San Francisco, was arrested when officers saw him setting fire to a garbage can at 14th and Clay streets about 10 p.m., authorities said. He was charged with felony arson.

The uprising in Greece is great and all, but is it yet able to influence Greek government policy?

Just saw this on Reuters:

LONDON (Reuters) - The U.S. is seeking to hire a merchant ship to deliver hundreds of tons of arms to Israel from Greece later this month, tender documents seen by Reuters show.

The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC) said the ship was to carry 325 standard 20-foot containers of what is listed as "ammunition" on two separate journeys from the Greek port of Astakos to the Israeli port of Ashdod in mid-to-late January.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/usTopNews/idUKTRE50875320090109

"Dereca Blackmon, 38, another of the organizers, said the rally was intended to provide a "safe and proactive venue where citizens would be able to express the pain and the outrage that they felt at the execution of Oscar Grant III."

The event, Blackmon said, was meant as an alternative to violence.

"It's what the city should have done. It's what BART should have done, so people wouldn't feel that the only way to be seen is to take to the streets.

"We are nonviolent, and we have a responsibility to spread nonviolence," Blackmon said. "We did what we came to do: We had an incredible, peaceful, positive forum where citizens of all ages expressed their pain and outrage."

But around 5 p.m., about 200 demonstrators left the Fruitvale Station and began marching toward downtown Oakland.

Not everyone agreed a march was the best thing to do.

Blackmon, who opposed the march, said she felt there needed to be a trained group of facilitators escorting marchers and working closely with police to maintain safety."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/09/MNON15696D.DTL

ANSWER is too busy protesting Israel at Powell and Market to even help protest local police attacks on Oakland residents. Where was NION? Where was Code Pink?

Were they there???

"The uprising in Greece is great and all, but is it yet able to influence Greek government policy?"

You don't get it. That is not the aim of the uprising in Greece, so why would it matter if it influences policy or not (It does, by the way, because the Greek government is scared shitless of anarchists and the popular support they enjoy). The aim is to destroy the government, not change its policies.

Reminds me of the silly liberal phrase, "Do you want to be radical, or do you want to be effective?"

"We want to be radically effective, motherfucker!"

>>Aren't there some dumpsters begging to be dived? Eat up! Yum, yum!>>

I don't think this statement is relevant to the fact that a man was shot lying face-down on the ground, Bob.

if oscar grant's family asked people to stop breaking things, why do you think this is a good tactic? even if it's not your intention you look like you're co-opting someone else's personal loss. strategically it doesn't do anything or lead anywhere.

I agree with many on here. Smashing windows aint gonna do much and just continues the current divisions in the community.

Propaganda by the deed was proven to be ineffective throughout history. Why would it begin to work now?

I would like to aquire names and badge numbers of all officers on the scene during the Oscar Grant execution. I heard numerous people in the videos calling out for officer badge numbers. I would like anyone with information on which officers were involved to come forward.

In addition the photos and names of all Bart police should be publicly available on the internet. hundreds of people on the scene to this murder and I cant find one clear picture of Johannes Mehserle.

Let's have some accountability!

Evan Shamar, the man who organized Wednesday's BART police protest, said he broke down in tears when he saw his peaceful march turn violent.

"I was devestated by it" said Shamar, 24, a photographer who lives in Oakland. "I worked diligently for the past 72 hours , and for it to be destroyed by a group of anarchists was extremely upsetting. I felt like my integrity had been compromised."

I'm with Evan. You guys are idiots. A damn shame what happened to Oscar; I'm not sure I'd feel that way if it happend to your ilk. You suck.

Please think about where the money will come from to fund repairs. Please think about how the residents in the area will be affected by this. Please think about how this will affect the actual people responsible for Grant's death. Please think about how change can be made without disrupting everyone's right to pursue their own happiness. Think about these things, then choose a course of action which will yield the greatest result for the least effort while negatively affecting no innocent people. Anything else is unwarranted violence against undeserving people.

we need accountability. Action deserves calculated reaction. It's the only thing authority will respond to.

city gets trashed authorities will maybe do a better job educating their keystone cops why killing unarmed man in public is not acceptable.

If anything because it means their ass is on the line since loss of innocent life apprently isnt enough of a deterrant to these people.

B-Town Bob, right on my friend. The "radical" community isn't worth a toss. The real radicals don't need to call themselves such, and like you said, confront police and whomever else in broad daylight. Ask the mothers of the Plaza De Mayo for some pointers, kids. This is nothing but bragging about nothing!!!

"Maybe disrupting school and work is part of how some radicals view social transformation. " So I suppose anarchists don't like it when poor people go to school and get educated? Or work to feed their families? What a wonderful privelage to cast judgement on people who have to work or want an education! I suppose all the Berkeley and SF anarchists who grew up in the suburbs and went to Ivy League colleges can have a contempt for people who work. There's a word for that.... it's called classism. Most anarchists don't work because they live off their daddy's trust fund. Sorry you're angry because your stocks plumetted last quarter, and you didn't get breastfed when you were young, but you don't have a clue what it means to be poor. And choice poverty and dumpster diving does not count. Trashing a BART station doesn't make you a "revolutionary", but it DOES make you a dick. The Greeks were confronting the police head on. What are you doing? Smashing a window when no one is around.

If you have such contempt against working people, then how do you expect to go into a poor community, do your little "action", and not have people hate you? All anarchists do in America is property destruction. If you go abroad, this is not the case. Anarchists actually WORK with communities in Mexico, and Europe. If American anarchists did more community building (by providing housing, healthcare, childcare, education, food in poor communities), maybe poor communities would take them more seriously? Why don't you take a look at what the Zapatistas are doing? Why don't you re-read that Emma Goldman literature that you studied in your poli sci course and UC Berkeley? I can guarantee you, neither of them would emphasize property destruction as the major tactic of revolution.

You're the kind of anarchist who will become a financial analyst by the time you are 35, when you finally tire of the "anarchist lifestyle". Believe me, you won't be the first. How lucky you are to have that choice! Many in Oakland (who use the BART) don't have that choice. This is why the "revolution" will not come from snot nosed people like you, but from working and poor people who have nothing to lose...

"If you have such contempt against working people, then how do you expect to go into a poor community, do your little "action", and not have people hate you? All anarchists do in America is property destruction."

This is actually very untrue and you know it. There are MANY anarchists in the bay area working with different communities. Meanwhile, shit like this keeps happening in the background by an@rkyists.

It's not really true that all anarchists have a trust fund and Ivy League education. I work for a living, and went to a no-name college.

That said, smashing windows in a public transportation facility is not acceptable. PT belongs to the People, and the so-called "anarchists" who do that are disrespectful to the People themselves.

If you knew what anarchy (or more properly anarchism) really meant or stood for, you wouldn't even think this stupid vandalism was the correct approach. Even anarchism has rules, called "controls". Controls are merely standards, set out and agreed to by the majority of people, by which people use to coexist in a peaceful, orderly manner. Even though I deplore and am sickened by the blatant murder of Oscar Grant just as much as anyone here, I cannot see how breaking windows at the North Berkeley BART station will correct the corrupt, racist, and unacceptable system that murdered him. I also cannot understand how vandalizing other citizens property in downtown Oakland will accomplish anything positive. Using Oscar Grants execution at the hands of the BART pigs as an excuse to break windows and burn peoples cars is wrong. How can victimizing our fellow citizens by destroying their property help undo the fascist police state that dominates our lives and liberty? If you "brave revolutionarys" really feel the need or justification to use violence as a means of retaliation, why not hit a hard target? For example, rather than break some poor, hard-working shopkeepers windows, go to the BART headquarters and break their windows. Instead of burning some innocent persons car, burn some BART pig wagons. At least your anger and rage would be directed at an appropriate place where it might have some effect. I am so damn tired of hooligans and vandals using a wonderful principle like anarchism (to you anarchy) as a mask for bad antisocial behavior. 4tires

O.K., I used the North Berkeley BART earlier today and you know what, I didn't notice a single bit of mindless vandalism, except one single window had plywood over it. So I estimate the cost of damages at something like $37.50. Since I don't consider vandalism effective for anything but giving BART maintenance workers something to do, what was the point of doing this again?

Not a single sign of graffiti either. What did you use, non-toxic water-soluble paint?

Since neither claimed "action" is radical, let alone does it have fucking anything to do with Oscar Grant's assassination, this must be a hoax by some 9 years having fun. So fess up, what middle school do you go to and what would your mother think if she found out that you were making claims about doing something that you didn't even do?

And if you're over 12 and are really claiming this is "revolutionary," does your IQ even break single digits?

"You only see white Berkeley student-anarchists breaking windows and spraypainting slogans. Are the kids in East Oakland doing such lame shit?"

Look at the videos on youtube.

The kids doing the window-breaking of businesses and cars on Wednesday night were black youth, many probably from East and West Oakland.

So, you're wrong. With your holier-than-thou "FIGHT THE COPS INSTEAD!" armchair bullshit as you sit on your ass.

Breaking windows isn't going to solve anything. If you want to hit BART where it hurts then kick them in the wallet.

http://www.2shared.com/file/4615965/2aa1492d/Defcon_Presentation.html

This explains between pages 19 to 39 how to spoof BART tickets. I suggest that everyone download this- don't worry, it's a clean .pdf file, feel free to scan it- and distribute it. I know it's about the Boston transit system but they use the same hardware that BART uses for fare control.

I take no responsibility for what anyone decides to do with this file, but I'm sure there's a few hackers on here that could make very good use of this information.

Ride Free!

My what a bunch of pretentious crap. You people are idiots who undercut your own cause. Nobody has defended the actions of the BART Police Officer who shot Oscar Grant. He will be brought to justice. But you people are so desperate for a cause and so desperate to show your moral superiority that you feel that two-bit vandalism is necessary. What a vacuous protest. Nobody supports you -- not even Oscar Grant's mothers. What a bunch of losers.

Yes really. As soon as I find a better video I will post it (have to sort through 100's on youtube). Here is one, definitely shows East Oakland youth (who I talked to at the rally) and young black kids participating in the destruction of the police car:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28ynj0VVlbs

Blaming it on RCP folks or "the anarchists" is 1. a security threat/issue of dry snitching (Cause who cares that a police car got a little damaged compared to the outright MURDER of OPD and Bart PD) and 2. blatantly false

North Berkeley BART Station Windows Smashed to Protest Grant Death

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Friday January 09, 2009

The North Berkeley BART station was vandalized early Thursday morning as a protest against the killing of Oscar Grant III by a BART police officer, BART authorities said Friday.

BART spokesperson Jim Allison said that the incident was the first report of direct vandalism at a BART station in response to Grant’s death that he was aware of.

Thursday’s incident followed violent civil protests in Oakland Wednesday night, during which angry mobs of people were arrested after setting fire to cars and smashing storefronts.

According to BART police log, a neighbor reported loud noise coming from the North Berkeley BART station to the Berkeley Police Department around 3:07 a.m. on Thursday.

When officers arrived at the scene after some time they found the station damaged.

Several full length and small windows were broken toward the back of the station.

Graffiti was found on the exterior of the station and bricks were located both inside and outside the building as well as on the platform.

BART police responded and took down a report.

Allison described Thursday morning’s events as a criminal action that BART police was investigating.

“Those responsible could be prosecuted,” he said. “We encourage people to express themselves under the First Amendment but the First Amendment does not include criminal acts. Peaceful demonstrations are fine, but damaging equipment and facilities is not.”

Allison said BART police was still looking into the identity of the suspects.

According to a message posted on Indybay.org by people who called themselves “anarchists,” the windows were smashed “in memory of Oscar Grant and all who are murdered at the cold hands of the police.”

The message says in part: “This action was taken out in response to the murder of Oscar Grant by BART police and in solidarity with the riots that have been taking place in Oakland. Our hope is that this action will inspire others to rise up against this atrocious police state in which we live.

“This action was very easy to carry out and took no more than a few minutes to get done. We approached the BART station fully masked and carried stones, bricks, and spray paint in our gloved hands. We painted first as to not make much noise, and did so in block letters to not reveal any personal handwriting. We spent no more than 20 seconds smashing in the glass windows and then vanished into the night.”

The message can be seen at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/01/09/18560418.php

Calls to the Berkeley Police Department for comment were not returned.

As an involved and practicing anarchist since the 80's (who has btw seen plenty of militant street time), I think this action and its bloated, pathetic "boom-boom"talk press release is utter garbage. It has always been time to get real about building revolution and a saner powerful life. This press release and formulaic posturing is crap to overcome and jettison.


I am sick of self-aggrandizing, passion-play, street theater posing as militancy. Go ahead. Give me all the rationales: the symbolic transgression against the sanctity of property, the didactic usefulness of the 'attentat,' the psy-op against functionaries of the state, forwarding action and attack instead of reaction and acquiescence.... blah blah blah. I've heard it all... intimately; and there was a time, a good while ago - complicitly.

What meaningful example was offered to others by this? How does this transcend the authoritarian crap assumptions and degradations of Daily Life? Who does this impress or change? What was built? What evolved?

What, by busting a window in the dead of night then spouting pompous baloney and pathetic self-congratulation was achieved other than tarring yourselves as jerks and anarchism as an infantile pastime?

we should stop bickering and direct our energy against police

This action is ignorant and counterproductive. It only hurts innocent people who are dependent upon Bart for transportation and does nothing to alter the "police state" you oppose. You people are fools.

What you liberal fuckers dont seem to udnerstand is that capital is all around us. It is represented as much in the neighborhood mom and pop store as in big multinational corporations like McDonalds. And they keep us - the workingclass - alienated from our good and our surroundings and our ability to live, as much as big corporations. In the ghetto, the small stores represent capital - that is why the korean storeowners was attacked during the LA uprising. That is also why the windows was smashed in the riot a couple of days ago. People say that this was misdirected rage, but for revolutionaries it was just the right direction and show that the workingclass - on some level - understand what this prison that we live in and which transform us all to commodities at the same time that it keeps necessary commodities away from us, are made upon. This also shows how useless and reactionary the left is in their pathetic attempt to direct the "dumb masses" in the "right way".

Also, im sure the people dont give a fuck what the mother of grant thinks because this struggle has allready transcended him and what happened to him. This is about the opression of the policestate, something that everyone of us feel every single day. We dont need hers or anyone elses premition to rebell against it. And anyone who wants to make this about this individual case or the individual cop is a reactionary who is disrupting our struggle. Basta.

This has deteriorated into a discussion flame war.

From the East Bay to Greece - WE ARE EVERYWHERE!

Why yes, idiots are everywhere. Thanks for the reminder.

You wrote:

*korean storeowners was attacked during the LA uprising.*

This is bullshit because ALL stores got attacked, not just Korean ones. Putting "Black Owned" signs didn't work, as they had in 1965 in Watts, because EVERYTHING got looted, literally everything.

It wasn't directed at Koreans, it was aimed at businesses regardless of the race or ethnicities of the owners.

Get your story straight!

I am done with this bullshit. When you get tired of being "revolutionaries" and return to your inane hipster lifestyles, people of color in Oakland like me will still be dealing with the consequences of *YOUR* actions on *OUR* neighborhoods. Stop kidding yourselves that you are fomenting any kind of 'revolution'. All you are doing is contributing to the INCREASE of police presence.

Want to help? Go to the Ella Baker center, and other community groups that actually deal with this stuff, and find out how you can help them doing what they already are doing. It might require work, and listening to people of color rather than deciding what is best for them, so it might be hard for some of you to manage.

How often do you pay to use things that BELONG to you? Public transportation BELONGS to the government. They let you use it when you PAY them. C'mon, think about it. And if the government deems it necessary, they will kill you while using it. It is great when you PAY the government to kill you!

Way to sock it to The Man!!!! For your next step you need to break more windows of minority owned businesses! I know this _sounds_ racist, but its not -- they benefit from affirmative action and that's a tool of the State so they're willing co-conspirators with The Man! I suggest you also punch some old ladies in the gut. They're tools of The Man too what with their taking Social Security. And then break the windows of anyone with a Handicapped Permit! Those are The People's parking spots!

But be sure to wear masks because The Man is everywhere and who says Anarchy is about taking personal responsibility for your political actions anyhow?

Viva La Revolution! It'll be just like the Argentinian dirty war but this time we'll be in charge!

Yeah cuz everyone knows that small scale capitalism is soooo much better than big scale! And if it is owned by minorities - hell, we will allready be in communist utopia then!

Idiots. Scumbags. Losers. Makes my heart sink as a proud "liberal leftist" as senseless acts of bullshit like this happen. Thanks dudes, it's only laughable because ya'll decided to stay in your white bubble and trash one of the BART lines most affluent, safe stations. Why? Because that's where you anarchists tend to be, in safe little affluent lefty cul de sacs where you can act out your revolutionary fantasies.

Hoods up, bandanas around the face, sewn on patches and cycling accessories - I was once like you, until I realized that I wasn't changing any hearts or minds in a real, effective way. You're just annoying people and tragically bringing no one to your side, or ironically, ruining the lives of other people who feel the same you do and are on your side. I hope you folks start using your BRAIN and REASON instead of acting out your infantile fantasies that you're in the streets of Paris throwing molatov cocktails in the name of 'viva la revolucion!' When your whiny white-asses embed yourself into West Oakland as part of the neighborhood gentrification and get the threats to get out of the neighborhood, you can keep trying to convince yourself that you're "down with the struggle," and they just don't understand. Dumbass!

Come on, you guys. Doing stuff like this is just ridiculous. Why anger The System unnecessarily? We conquer the world through art, love, and music.... NOT dumb acts of vandalism or threatening trigger-happy cops! Please.
God is watching over Officer Mehserle. I'd love to know WHY he shot that guy, too.
Yes, he obviously did it. HOW does anybody mistake a taser for a gun? Geez.
And WHY the hell are they using Tasers on BART? That's the question I want most to be answered... that, and why Officer Mehserle did it.
And NO, I did not watch that video. If I need to be scared, I'll go read a Stephen King novel, thank you.

Right on! This type of non-violent action is the thing this capitalist pig system understands, interuption of their precious bottom line.

Thanks for a good idea.