Breaking News From Tuesday 06/08/04

11:10PM - An IMC photographer's charges were dropped down to misdemeanor assault of an officer and he was released with his photos intact. The Legal Team is asking that people volunteer for shifts at the NLG office. The number to the jail where the arrestees are being processed is: #415-575-4418. People are being encouraged to call and demand the release of the prisoners and that all trumped-up charges be dropped.
10:58PM - LEGAL UPDATE: The total arrests from today number around 165. There are about 8 John Doe's and about 20 Jane Doe's currently, perhaps more as the last people taken arrive at 850 Bryant.
10:44PM - 5th and Market: Everyone has been processed at the intersection and things are clearing up there. People have moved on, the protesters that have been arrested are being held at 850 Bryant.
9:07PM - A homeless person was attacked by police. Police violence is the only violence that people have seen on the streets. A fire truck is there providing light while the arrestee's are being processed.
8:51PM - People still being arrested at 5th and Market. Food Not Bombs have gotten their cart back. There are still 50-60 people in the circle.
8:34PM - LEGAL UPDATE: So far there have been at least 131 arrests at 5th and Market, there are still more happening. If you would like to donate for legal support in the next days, please do so! DONATE HERE
7:45PM - The police have confiscated the Food Not Bombs food cart and food at 5th and Market. People are chanting "when did food become illegal?" and "food not cops".
7:31PM - Police officers have run into the crowd on the sidewalk, not sure why. They are pushing people back and some people were a bit trampled by the police. Police were pushing a woman in a wheelchair into the crowd. Police now have a perimeter around the entire 5th and Market area.
7:22PM - Legal Observers have been allowed in. And people are throwing food and water over the police into the circle of detainees. The police are unhappy about that. The people in the circle are still not allowed to leave, and are slowly being arrested.
7:14PM - Apparently the police offered the Street Reclaimers a chance to leave only being cited with violations, but they said "NO! If you want us out of this intersection, you will have to arrest us out!"
7:10PM - Another IMCista has been arrested. It is unclear if she had any equipment on her.
7:06PM - Police are beginning to process people at 5th and Washington. The crowd erupted at the waving of a Red and Black flag. Police have everyone tightly packed in the street. People are being arrested and loaded into big white busses.
6:53PM - At 5th and Washington, the police are beginning to arrest people. There is still high energy coming from the protesters, it is a very "festive" atmosphere.
6:42PM - Apparently the police have released some sort of smoke bomb and it is making some people in the "circle-to-be-arrested" naseuous. It is a cloud of white smoke.
6:37PM - Police have said that they did 5 ordered to disperse, but IMC audio teams have not picked up any...so they must have just been whispers, or police jokes. More police are showing up, and protesters are "hooting and hollering" picking the energy back up!!
6:34PM - A Santa Cruz IMCista has been arrested, reports of being beaten with a police baton.
6:30PM - A videogragher's camera has been confiscated. People are being handcuffed and carted away.
6:29PM - One person got away from the police encirclement. One person trying to get away was tackled. Buses are coming in to carry away people that are being arrested. People chanting "LET THEM GO! LET THEM GO!!"
6:22PM - 200 people in the intersection of 5th and Market, 300 cops surrounding them.
6:20PM - At 5th and Market, all of the people have been placed under arrest. Some people are being allowed to leave, but those that are in the street are completely surrounded and subject to arrest. People in the intersection are not allowed to leave, but bystanders are allowed to leave.
6:17PM - RTS march is surrounded by cops at Market and 5th, 2-300 people in the streets plus other on the sidewalks.
6:12PM - The Reclaim the Streets march is on Market, heading towards 5th...going against traffic. There are about 200 people in the streets, the police dont look as festive as they did earlier.
6:05PM - People are moving away from Union Plaza, people were playing music and are now moving to Reclaim the Streets! Much larger numbers than earlier today.
5:42PM - Bikes not Bombs contingent at Civic Center had two riders arrested, for failure to produce ID.
5:29PM - Dolores Park: People are in the park right now building a cob bench!
4:55PM - Previously a meeting with biotech delegates and Mayor Gavin Newsom was cancelled. That has be re-instated and will happen at 5:30PM at City Hall.
3:40PM Legal Update: Approx. 30 arrests so far, including 5 with felony charges. One arrestee has been sent to SF General Hospital. Currently 12 supporters are out in front of the jail. District Attorney: (415) 553-1752
1:25PM - The people that were heading towards the Financial District are now heading back towards the Convergence Centre.
12:54PM - People are at 4th and Market heading towards the Financial District.
12:47PM - Police are moving down Minna right now, heading towards fourth. Possibly planning to trap the protestors.
12:42PM - In Santa Cruz today, there was a solidarity banner drop for Reclaim the Commons.
12:35PM - People are currently being pushed down fourth still. Currently they are in front of the Metreon. The police are trying to open up fourth and there are reports of police violence.
12:30PM - 4th and Howard: Police are trying to clear the street, pushing the people out of the street. No order to disperse. The Blac Bloc is being attacked, cops are running after them. People are being pushed towards the corner of Mission.
11:33AM - LEGAL UPDATE: There have been 32 confirmed arrests. Folks that have been arrested are being held at 850 Bryant and are being cited out now.
10:59AM - 4th and Howard: The protestors are chalking the sidewalk and it is very noticeable. Delegates are looking out the windows and reading the slogans that are being written.
10:52AM - LEGAL UPDATE: There have been 26 confirmed arrests, no details on the charges.
10:41AM - There are about 200 people at 4th and Howard dancing in the streets currently.
10:30AM - First pictures from this morning have come in the newswire, here and here.
10:19AM - 4th and Howard has been held by protesters for the last 45 minutes or so. Things seem rather calm right now. Bikes not Biotech has recently arrived to that intersection as well.
10:01AM - There are about 15-20 people at 3rd and Howard, most everyone has come to 4th and Howard. Things are calm. The BIO comvention has started for the day.
10:00AM - Street Party at 4th and Howard, puppets and dancing! Police have their helmets on and batons up but no shields. The Blac Bloc has joined the Pagan Cluster at 4th, about 150 people there.
9:57AM - Reports are coming in that police have blocked off 4th between Market and Mission.
9:45AM - Pagan Cluster is attempting to retake the intersection of 4th and Howard, they are being met with police resistance. Many people on foot heading towards 4th and Howard, reports of tear gas also.
9:43AM - Traffic blocked at 3rd street and Harrison all the way to the bay bridge, more by the police than the protestors.
9:41AM - There have been arrests at 4th and Market, requests for legal observers at the scene.
9:21AM - One of the delegate buses has been see with "advanced messaging" on the rear that said "GO HOME."
9:18AM - The Blac Bloc was detained at New Montgomery and have since been released.
9:13AM - G8 UPDATE: Numbers are relatively low, a few hundred. Lots of corporate media. They started the day with an anti-war march that was peaceful, with a few hundred people. There have been no arrests out there so far. Although there is alot of harassment. Watch Atlanta IMC for more news.
9:12AM - Delegate buses are coming down Howard from 2nd and 3rd. 8 people arrested at New Montgomery. Black Bloc surrounded at New Montgomery, and being detained.
9:10AM - New Montgomery and Mission: Contigents of people on each corner of the street, people have sat in the intersection and one person has been dragged off...people are chanting "let her go!!"
8:55AM - New Montgomery and Howard: Cyclists are blocking a bus, and the police havent moved in yet. Some police violence so far, no violence seen from the protesters.
8:48AM - People gathered on Folsom and Hawthorne, small breakaway with plants and signs, small numbers of police with them.
8:43AM - Delegates are reportedly "streaming" into the Moscone Centre at 4th and Howard. Critical Mass "holding things down" at 3rd and Howard.
8:38AM - Between 4th and Folsom, an incident of a motorcycle cop hit a bike and tried run over it - the biker got away.
8:27AM - At 4th and Folsom, the bicycle brigade is holding up bussing while the police try to disperse them. One bus stopped now.
8:25AM - LEGAL UPDATE: People being detained, searched and items like water bottles are being seized. Sounds like illegal search and seizure. Legal reccomendation is to get the badge number of the officer and write down the intersection that it occurred.
8:12AM - Another arrest at 4th and Howard, a man with full body protection possibly. A fire truck has come to 3rd and Howard to saw off the person LOCKED to the bus axle.
8:01AM - There are cyclists out trying to find the buses to stop them. The police may have the person out from under the bus, there are about three buses jammed up at 3rd and Howard right now, however. There is screaming in the background.
7:55AM - There are reports that the police are trying to "pepper-spray" the person out from under the bus.
7:52AM - Still at least 1 person under the fron axle of the bus at 3rd and Howard. Most of the rest of the street has been cleared by moto-cops.
7:50AM - 3rd and Howard, people are blocking a bus, with bicycles!! People are also locked in front of the bus and the intersection. People are also under the bus, lots of yelling. 3-4 people under the bus. This bus is not going anywhere.
7:49AM - 4th and Howard has been cleared from the lockdown.
7:46AM - MOSCONE CENTRE: From inside, the delegates seem unaffected by the protests, inside there is just alot of shouting. (thats the industry for you, always trying to get the upper-hand.)
7:43AM - Buses are going around the people that are locked down on 3rd around Mission and/or Market and Howard. People are spreading out in the intersection now.
7:41AM - People have locked down at 3rd and Mission or Market, many many police around. The delegates are all entering from 4th and Howard.
7:38AM - Videographer arrested at 4th and Howard.
7:35AM - 3rd and Howard: Blac Bloc attacked by police.
7:33AM - People being surrounded on 3rd st. People are still at 4th and Howard as the delegates enter the building...people are still locked down at 4th and Howard.
7:30AM - At least 1 person arrested and released today. Arrested on vandalism charges around 5:30 this morning.
7:26AM - Police have just started rushing from 4th and Howard to 3rd and Howard, more updates as they come.
7:22AM - Police are escorting the delegates from the buses to the Moscone Center. Lots of buses coming in people are singing and moving to a different intersection.
7:13AM - Police fully equipped with "less-lethal" weapons, intimidating people and pushing them out of the streets. Puppets marching up 4th street.
7:07AM - 15 people still lockboxed at the 4th and Howard intersection. People being arresting and walked away. People singing anti-biotech songs. The police also confiscating the plants that were out protesting.
7:03AM - Police are busting the line right now, people still locked down though. People have been searched and had bottles seized at 4th and Mission. There are about 200 protesters out now and 300-500 police.
6:52AM - Police are arresting those that are locked down.
6:46AM - People locked down at 4th and Howard, holding a banner that says "Welcome to Possible." An Indymedia reporter was pushed over the protesters while she was trying to take pictures, police said "you're with us or the protesters."
6:39AM - First report of people at Howard and 4th, more coming.