FTP5 - Fuck the Police (Oakland)

FUCK THE POLICE MARCH WEEKLY

FTP5 - FUCK THE POLICE
Take our pigs for a walk. They need the exercise. And it only costs the city $50K a week!

*** This event is being called by the Occupy Oakland Tactical Action Committee. It will continue weekly.

The Tactical Action Committee was approved by Occupy Oakland's GA to perform autonomous actions at their discretion. In that sense it is not an "official" Occupy Oakland event, in the sense that it was not directly, but indirectly, approved through the GA.***

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you identify as peaceful and are likely to interfere with the actions of your fellow protestors in any way (including telling them to stop performing a particular action, grappling, assaulting or holding them for arrest), you may not want to attend this march. This is a militant, radical march that respects diversity of tactics. NV folks are welcome, but it must be understood that this is not a standard peaceful protest -- whatever that means.

FTP March, Iteration 5, January 28, 2012 - Tactical Parameters

Due to the fact that most of our internal issues on each march and action to date have come from a lack of information on what the tactical parameters of a particular action are expected to be, TAC will be calling for tactical parameters on this and all future FTP marches that may change as we learn and practice our skills in the streets.

Note that these are the wishes by the callers of the march. In the interests of solidarity please respect these parameters. These are being called for this march only. This goes both ways -- please be respectful enough of the event to not pursue certain actions at this time if they are being put on the "please don't" list; likewise, if you are uncomfortable with someone performing an action that is acceptable within the march parameters DO NOT INTERFERE with them. This is respect for diversity of tactics, and also proper solidarity in the face of our common enemy. There will come a day that this practice, discipline and restraint will serve us well as a unit.

If you cannot follow the parameters DO NOT ATTEND. They will be read before the march during the rally. People will be given the opportunity to back out if they feel they cannot respect the tactics, with no loss of face.

So, for this march, TAC is asking for the following:

SHIELDS: If you have the capability and the will to march in the front line, make a shield to carry for this Saturday's action.

NO DAMAGE TO PRIVATE PROPERTY of any kind -- people's cars, any Oakland businesses (especially small businesses - but the Starbucks that was hit last time actually gives free coffee and food to our vigil so we prefer to leave all of them out at this time).

PROPERTY THAT IS FAIR GAME IF YOU ARE SO INCLINED - police vehicles and equipment, Mainstream Media vehicles and equipment. The police and the MSM are not our friends, never have been, and never will be.

NO FRONTAL ASSAULTS ON THE POLICE - i.e., no bottle throwing. Defensive actions are fully accepted and encouraged. Shields, unarresting, disarming cops that are beating comrades, etc. MAKE THE POLICE STRIKE THE FIRST BLOW.

SPLIT-OFF MARCHES AND AUTONOMOUS ACTIONS ARE NOT DISCOURAGED. If you do decide to go your own route, please respect the above parameters. Large banks, huge international corporations that run this city with their money, political organization HQ such as the Democrat campaign office or the chamber of commerce are not considered private property for the purposes of the parameters. If you decide to split off, do your autonomous actions away from the main march, not right next to it.

We are not encouraging anyone to attack any property whatsoever, but some property is more acceptable than others if you really must risk your freedom by doing something of that nature.

FIRE CAN BE FUN - if you want to burn something in the street (that isn't somebody's car) then more power to you. If someone is burning something in the street then DO NOT INTERFERE.

STREET BARRICADES ARE FOR YOUR PROTECTION - Do not remove them if they have been placed. Do not stop comrades from placing barriers if they choose to take that risk. It is actually to protect the march. If you are uncomfortable with the barriers, just walk away from them.

BLOC UP: If you hear the shout, "Bloc up!" Or "Tighten up!" It is in your best interest to clump together with the main group in tight formation. Be aware of distance and do not string out along the march route. Do not give the police an opportunity to snatch you and plant evidence on you to conflate charges with.

And to repeat:

NO INTERFERING IN OTHER PEOPLE'S ACTIONS EVEN IF YOU DO NOT PERSONALLY AGREE WITH THEM. Do not yell stop. Do not grab your comrades. If you feel unsafe, move away. The parameters listed above are for our own use so that we can hold one another accountable afterwards for things that may not have gone according to plan. But in the face of the enemy WE SHOW FULL SOLIDARITY. Afterwards we can argue about stuff. Not during the action.

We are all adults. We are all comrades. We have a common enemy and we will have to learn to work as a unit. Following the action parameters on each FTP march should mitigate the fighting and problems we have consistently had after every action to date.

Thank you for your cooperation.

***

The Oakland Police Department has harassed and brutalized Occupy Oakland and participants in the vigil. Camps and liberated foreclosed buildings have been raided and shut down. OOers at the vigil have been arrested for as little as standing nearby when the police decide to raid, all the way up to the ridiculous charge of lynching. People have been physically assaulted by those supposed to protect and serve, but only do so in the interests of the 1%.

With dozens of our comrades having been arrested in the past couple of weeks, and culminating in the city's revocation of the vigil's permit and the immediate threat of another police raid to clear the plaza, the time has come to rise up and let them know what we think of them and that we will no longer meekly accept their violations of our civil and human rights.

This event will be held weekly. Spread the word, send the invite, join us as we march in solidarity against police repression.

Wear black
Bring shields if you are able and willing

Rally at 7:00 pm
March on OPD HQ at 9:00 pm

THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING OCCUPY OAKLAND
SOLIDARITY