ChevronTexaco photos-San Ramon

Several hundred people were already at the two north entrances to ChevronTexaco when I got there after 6, so some arrived there quite early. Many continued to arrive throughout the morning, and and uncounted number circled around on bicycles, and were at other entrances. There were reports that many employees had gotten there even earlier, at 5:30. Lots of well dressed administrative managers and employees walked in from outside the large ring of parking lots around 8am, and there was not a lot of confrontation as they went through at the NE entrance. Twice, Chevron Texaco employees kicked or knocked over people standing by the gates.

At each gate, a line of people held hands. The 8-9 lane Bollinger Canyon Road still allowed plenty of traffic to pass when 2-4 lanes were shut by police in either direction. There was almost no pedestrian traffic in the area, but most driving by were neutral or positive.

The police commander was extremely boring and uncharismatic, in contrast to Chief Word of Oakland or R. Bruce of San Francisco. There was very little to react to or grab onto. Moving very slowly, they announced ahead of time who they were about to arrest, giving them the opportunity to flee. Usually if they fled, the police still went and grabbed them, but several people changed their hat or went away. Then, 5-10 minutes later, they would arrest another person. There was no randomness or violence about it. Combined with the unstimulating nature of the architecture, the situation would almost make one get bored were it not for our creativity, the marching band, the green of the hills (would be more boring if flat) and the few freepers with flags.