Port of Oakland Shut Down by Occupy Oakland

by Bradley Stuart (bradley [at] riseup.net)

Tue, Dec 13, 2011 11:47AM

On December 12th, the Occupy movements in various cities, mostly along the west coast, staged mass mobilizations to march on ports, create community pickets, and effectively shutdown the hubs of commerce. The demonstrations were modeled on Occupy Oakland's successful port shut down and general strike on November 2nd.

Occupy Oakland called for the December 12th West Coast Port Shutdown, "because we believe it is time the occupation movement begins to work together to carry through coordinated, pinpointed actions. We want to disrupt the profits of the 1% and show solidarity with those in the 99% who are under direct attack by corporate tyranny." In particular, the demonstrations were in solidarity with longshoremen, port workers and truck drivers.

Pictured above is Scott Olsen. He is a 24-year-old former Marine and Iraq War veteran, and a member of Veterans for Peace. Scott suffered a skull fracture on October 25th, 2011, caused by a projectile that witnesses believe was a tear gas or smoke canister fired by the police.

The following photos were taken on December 12th during the afternoon rally at 14th and Broadway in Oscar Grant (aka Frank Ogawa) Plaza, the march from the plaza to the port, and the demonstration within the Port of Oakland. The port was already shut down in the early morning as a result of protests, and was still closed when the large demonstration arrived in the evening. In addition to Oakland, protesters in Portland, OR; Longview, WA; and Vancouver, BC successfully shut down ports in their city for the morning shift, and the SSA terminals at the Los Angeles/Long Beach port were successfully shut down as well.

Since there were attacks by police on demonstrators in other cities, including Seattle, San Diego and Houston, Occupy Oakland made good on its promise of solidarity, and extended the port shut down into the next shift at 3am. Occupy Oakland successfully shut down the Port of Oakland for three consecutive shifts.

For more information: http://bradleystuart.net

§Angela Davis

by Bradley Stuart

Tue, Dec 13, 2011 11:47AM

Angela Davis is a political activist, scholar, and author. She emerged as a nationally prominent activist in the 1960s, when she was associated with the Communist Party USA, the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Panther Party. She is the founder of Critical Resistance, an organization working to abolish the prison-industrial complex. She is also a retired professor with the History of Consciousness Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz and is the former director of the university's Feminist Studies department.

Port of Oakland Shut Down by Occupy Oakland

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