SWAT Team Tracks Grannies at Occupy Redwood City

A gathering of about 20 people stepped out on a chilly night to bring the Occupy Wall Street movement to the the San Francisco peninsula town of Redwood City.

Elderly members of the Raging Grannies Action League in flowery hats captured the attention of police watching the Courthouse Square Plaza. Was it the black bandana one of them wore across her lower face? (The sign she carried said "Bankers = Bandits"). Or the fact that some of the Grannies wore black that evening?

Or was it just...overkill?

The Grannies said that Redwood City's government is a local example of a national problem: the people are ignored in favor of outside interests whose money and underhanded tactics give them undue influence. With their songs and chants they brought creative spirit to the town that some of them live in. (Others live in nearby cities from Menlo Park to Mountain View).

Grannies, when they realized they were being followed, asked the police persons, "What do you think we Grannies might do that's so dangerous? Sing out of tune?"

The women whom the police felt a need to keep such a close eye on are aged 60... to 83.