November 3, 2011 | 4:30 PM | By

Strike a success but Oakland’s a mess

FILED UNDER: Community, mutual aid, Oakland, Oakland General Strike, Occupy Oakland

If you haven’t seen it already today, Downtown Oakland is a mess. The tail-end of yesterday’s General Strike degenerated into violence, vandalism and looting following a successful shutdown of the evening shift at the Port of Oakland by tens of thousands of marchers. Windows at City Hall were smashed, buildings were covered in graffiti, and trash burned at the intersection of 16th and Telegraph following an attempt to occupy the foreclosed building of the Traveler’s Aid Society, an organization that aided the homeless.

The Black Blocs that touched off the property destruction in the afternoon at the downtown banks and 27th Street Whole Foods and that fired M80 firecrackers at a line of riot police late that evening had strong contingents of out-of-town anarchists (a group of masked demonstrators were overheard speaking Greek amongst themselves). Eighty people were arrested by the Oakland Police Department, with the assistance of an undetermined number of Contra Costa and Alameda law enforcement agencies called in on mutual aid (again).

It remains to be seen how last night’s events will affect Occupy Oakland and the broader Occupy Wall Street movement. Yesterday’s violence and property destruction has been widely condemned by Occupy Oakland, and there is talk of the camp participating in the ongoing cleanup efforts. Tonight’s City Council meeting at 5:30 PM on Occupy Oakland will provide the best indication of how authorities will approach the encampment in the aftermath of the General Strike

Photos and videos after the jump

  • Guest

    This piece perpetuates the pernicious “outside agitator” myth. To support your assertion that there were “strong contingents of out-of-town anarchists”, you cite a simple fact that there were Greek-speakers in a crowd. Not only do you ignore the fact that these could be Greek immigrants, but you may also be unintentionally aiding the police in identifying protesters. If indeed there are Greeks here to support Oakland, that’s called SOLIDARITY. In addition, you provide no indication of how you determine people to be “anarchists.” There were many people in the marches earlier in the day (e.g., the union-led ones) with people from out of town, but you don’t identify them as “anarchists.” I’m disappointed in the obvious political bent of this piece.

  • Guest

    This piece perpetuates the pernicious “outside agitator” myth. To support your assertion that there were “strong contingents of out-of-town anarchists”, you cite a simple fact that there were Greek-speakers in a crowd. Not only do you ignore the fact that these could be Greek immigrants, but you may also be unintentionally aiding the police in identifying protesters. If indeed there are Greeks here to support Oakland, that’s called SOLIDARITY. In addition, you provide no indication of how you determine people to be “anarchists.” There were many people in the marches earlier in the day (e.g., the union-led ones) with people from out of town, but you don’t identify them as “anarchists.” I’m disappointed in the obvious political bent of this piece.

  • Anon

    Yes, I’m also disappointed your reporting as someone who has been at Occupy Oakland since the beginning. Do little more research next time before repeating the lies and slander that corporate media outlets and misguided liberals spew.

    Occupy Oakland has no leaders or spokespeople and has not officially condemned the property destruction (which is much different then violence, such as that used by the polic against us!). Also, the fires and barricades were intended to defend against the expected police attack/eviction of the newly occupied social center. Nothing was broken in that incident until the police showed up and started tear gassing and firing concussion grenades.

  • Anon

    Yes, I’m also disappointed your reporting as someone who has been at Occupy Oakland since the beginning. Do little more research next time before repeating the lies and slander that corporate media outlets and misguided liberals spew.

    Occupy Oakland has no leaders or spokespeople and has not officially condemned the property destruction (which is much different then violence, such as that used by the polic against us!). Also, the fires and barricades were intended to defend against the expected police attack/eviction of the newly occupied social center. Nothing was broken in that incident until the police showed up and started tear gassing and firing concussion grenades.