Scott Olsen's skull was shattered and part of his brain destroyed when an OPD officer shot him in the head with a Specialty Impact Munition (SIM) at a 2011 Occupy Oakland demonstration. As he lay critically injured on the pavement, an OPD officer threw a CS Blast grenade onto him — a teargas device that explodes with a flash of light and loud bang.

At least a dozen other people were injured by so-called "less lethal" weapons at the Occupy demonstrations, even though OPD's own policies and federal court orders specify that these weapons may not be fired into crowds. As a result, the City of Oakland has had to pay out more than $7 million in legal settlements to people who have suffered serious injuries from SIM or CS Blasts, including burns, hearing loss, fractures, crushed nerves and scarring.

A new petition demands that OPD be prohibited from using SIMs and CS Blast grenades at demonstrations and other crowd events. The San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center (Indybay.org) is supporting this petition. Indybay reporters are sick and tired of getting shot and gassed by OPD while covering protests in Oakland, a gross violation of freedom of the press and basic human rights.

Read More | Campaign Video | Sign the Petition

Previous Related Indybay Features: Oakland to Pay Big for OPD Shooting Scott Olsen in the Face | Costs of OPD's Violence Against Protesters Mount: Settlement in the Kayvan Sabeghi Beating | NLG Obtains $1.17M and OPD Reforms for Injured Occupy Oakland Protesters and Journalists | Oakland Occupiers Defiant After Police Raid, Mass Arrests, and Tear Gas/Projectile Attacks | March 7th Rally to Protest April 7, 2003 Police Attack at Docks | Oakland Rally Questions 2003 Attack on Protesters | Remember the Shots! Return to the Docks! | Port Of Oakland Shut Down: Police Fire Concussion Grenades and Wooden Bullets at Protesters and Dock Workers