Occupy Oakland continues to kick through the boundaries of what was previously thought possible, upping the ante of what it means to resist against corporate greed and state oppression. Just one day after a hundred people were arrested, two encampments were physically smashed to the ground, and a thousand supporters were attacked by police with chemical weapons and projectiles in a manner that shocked the conscience of the nation, Occupy Oakland collectively took the audacious and ambitious step of calling for the first General Strike in America in sixty-five years. The world truly is watching, waiting to see if a kinder, more fair America is possible. No matter what happens today, though, no matter how many banks and corporations are shut down, no matter what the police do or the corporate media report, a new sense of people power and possibility are in the air. History will be made.

The Oakland Commune did not rise up out of a vacuum, though. There is a strong history of resistance and struggle in the East Bay. Through decades of the blood, sweat, and tears of countless freedom fighters and martyrs -- from the General Strike of 1946, the Free Speech Movement, and the Black Panthers, to the more recent Oscar Grant Rebellions, Bay of Rage anti-austerity and prison solidarity marches, and police-accountability shutdowns of BART stations.

Read More | Nov. 13th: Oakland Leaders Should Keep Sound Cannons on Ice | Oakland Chamber of Commerce Represents Big Business and Multi-Nationals NOT Oaklanders | Quan's Next OPD raid of Occupy Oakland: What the hell is taking so long? | Interfaith tent revival @Occupyoakland on Sunday and all-night vigil | Nov. 12th: Occupy Oakland Egypt Solidarity March: Video | Occupy Oakland Egypt Solidarity March: Photos | Clearing Up Occupied Oakland Rumors Regarding Camp Relocation and OPD Scare Tactics | Defend Occupy Oakland : Proposal of the Ad Hoc Labor Activist Assembly | Oakland Police warns press of "potential risk to personal safety" covering Occupy Oakland | Urgent Call to Alameda Labor Council for Labor Defense of Occupy Oakland | Interview w/ Shimaa Helmy - Egyptian activist, blogger and Tahrir Square camper | An Open Letter to Occupy Oakland from the Oakland Police Officers’ Association | OCCUPY OAKLAND solidarity march with EGYPT | Nov. 11th: Occupy Oakland Veterans' March Against Police Brutality: Video | Occupy Oakland Served Notices to Vacate, Effective Immediately | Whose streets? Oakland’s shadow government presses City Hall to end the occupation | Veterans March Against Police Brutality | Nov. 10th: POOR Magazine Marches to Decolonize the Occupy Movement | demystifying anarchism at occupy oakland | Police Brutality is Violence | Occupy Oakland One Month Birthday Party! | Poor Peoples Occupation (Decolonization) from Oakland to San Francisco | Nov. 9th: Reflections on social justice | News from Occupy Oakland's general assembly | Nov. 8th: Lake Merritt/Uptown District Association calls on Mayor to forcefully end Occupy Oakland | Occupy Oakland at a Crossroads | Nov. 7th: Black Bloc: the culture of coercion and poor strategy at mass actions needs an overhaul | ACLU to OPD: No Seriously, Hand Over the Info | Daily Show idea about relocating Occupy Oakland being debated by Mayor and City Council | Nov. 6th: Relatos Zapatistas Radio Show: Occupy Oakland and Community Safety | New Planter Box @ Occupy Oakland | Nov. 3rd: Indybay Breaking News Reports | Occupy Oakland 11.3.11 | Nov. 2nd: Indybay Breaking News Reports | Occupy Oakland General Strike - Occupation of Travelers Building: video | Kids in West Oakland | Travelers Aid Society Occupation- Photos, Part 1 | Travelers Aid Society Occupation- Photos, Part 2 | Occupy Oakland Historic Strike and Shutdown of the Port – Media Roots TV | Occupy Oakland General Strike - Occupation of Travelers Building: photos, 1 of 2 | Occupy Oakland General Strike - Occupation of Travelers Building: photos, 2 of 2 | Occupy Oakland General Strike - Shutdown of the Port of Oakland: photos, 1 of 2 | Occupy Oakland General Strike - Shutdown of the Port of Oakland: photos, 2 of 2 | Tens of Thousands March to Defend Occupy Oakland | Video clearly showing who broke a window on Broadway last Wednesday | Occupy Oakland General Strike - Afternoon Before Port Action: photos | "To Our Friends, We Are Here. To Our Enemies - We Are Coming!" | Occupied Oakland Tribune | For The Oakland Commune - Anarchist Video on November 2 | Occupy Oakland General Strike - Banks Smashed Up in Afternoon: photos, 2 of 2 | Occupy Oakland General Strike - Banks Smashed Up in Afternoon: photos, 1 of 2 | Occupy Oakland General Strike - Banks Shut Down in Morning: photos | An Open Letter to Occupy Oakland from One Anarchist | Shot by police with rubber bullet at Occupy Oakland | Oakland General Strike a Success, but Cops Seriously Injure another Vet | What happened in Oakland, Nov. 2 | Port Of Oakland Occupy Protest | Occupation Oakland Port Strike | Interview with Harun Arsalai - Arrested, Beaten, and Abused by Police and Sheriff's Deputies: video | Yet another anarchist commentary on the Black Bloc | images from oakland general strike | Second Veteran in as Many Weeks Injured by Oakland Police | An Open Letter to the Black Bloc and Others Concerning Wednesday's Tactics in Oakland | Reflexiones sobre la primera semana en Oscar Grant Plaza | Open Letter from Anarchist Participant in The General Strike | Photos from Oakland General Strike & Evening Actions | Occupy Oakland's General Strike and Port Shut Down | Occupy Oakland Safer Spaces Committee Statement on Tactics Used During General Strike | General Strike Photos! b/w | Oakland General Strike photos | Response to AP story on Oakland General Strike | Pictures from OO's General Strike | Statement on the Occupation of the former Traveler's Aid Society at 520 16th Street | Occupy Oakland General Strike | Rise Up, Shut It Down | Occupy Oakland Port Strike A Success!! | Occupy Oakland General Strike Photos | Trucks and railroads are occupied at Port of Oakland, tens of thousands continue to march | Ports Significantly Disrupted Today, They Shut Down Tonight | BAMN Line on Jean Quan is Dangerous and Idiotic | Occupy Oakland Death to Capitalism Banner | General strike early march | Occupy Oakland General Strike November 2nd! No Business As Usual November 2nd! | OccupyOakland.org/strike | Nov. 1: Nov 2nd Tear Gas Weather Forecast | Some observations by a few anarchists | UCSF Nursing Students Join Oakland General Strike | A Message to the Partisans, in Advance of the General Strike | Welcome to the Oakland General Strike | Bay Area General Strikes: 1930s and Now | SEIU 1021 Joins the November 2nd General Strike | Oct. 31: Occupy Oakland joins with workers & community members to call for a Nov 2nd General Strike | The Insurrection—Oakland Style: A History | Oct. 29: Why You Should Join the Wed., Nov. 2, Oakland General Strike | Scott Olsen Cannot Talk, General Strike Nov. 2! | Carpenters Local 713 Supports Call for Nov. 2 General Strike in Oakland | Oct. 28: Union Support for General Strike and Protests Nov. 2 | Defend Occupy Oakland With The Muscle Of Organized Labor-Statement Of ILWU Members | 1946: The Oakland General Strike [the last general strike in the U.S.] | Oct. 27: General Strike: Where OWS Needs To Go | Oct. 26: "We Are One Hand" Oakland Enters World Stage as Commune Calls for General Strike

Announcements: Occupy Richmond March to Oakland | feminists and queers against capitalism bloc in oakland general strike! | Occupy Oakland General Strike and Mass Day of Action Press Conference: photos | Occupy Oakland General Strike and Mass Day of Action Press Conference: video | Oakland General Strike Anti-Capitalist March | Blockade Port of Oakland During Nov 2 General Strike | November 2nd General Strike and Mass Day of Action Resolution | Occupy Oakland General Strike and Mass Day of Action

Previous related Indybay feature: Battle for Occupy Oakland Begins with Police Raid, Occupiers Up Ante with General Strike | Publish your own reports, photos, and video to Indybay