THIS WAS NOT A PEACEFUL PROTEST, THIS DID NOT END WELL.

300 Occupy Oakland protesters arrested after clash with California cops:

Quan said the destruction was being caused by a small “very radical, violent” splinter group within Occupy Oakland.

“This is not a situation where we had a 1,000 peaceful people and a few violent people. If you look at what’s happening today in terms of destructing property, throwing at and charging the police, it’s almost like they are begging for attention and hoping that the police will make an error.”

Quan said that at one point, many forced their way into City Hall, where they burned flags, broke an electrical box and damaged several art structures, including a recycled art exhibit created by children.

“City Hall is closed for the weekend. There is no excuse for behavior we’ve witnessed this evening,” City Council President Larry Reid said during a news briefing Saturday. “It’s just unacceptable and makes absolutely no sense for the type of behavior we’ve seen on the streets in the city of Oakland today.”

Oakland Councilman Ignacio De La Fuente, echoed Reid’s sentiments and said that what was going on amounts to “domestic terrorism.”

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The demonstration comes after Occupy protesters said earlier this week that they planned to move into a vacant building and turn it into a social center and political hub. They also threatened to try to shut down the port, occupy the airport and take over City Hall.

Oakland officials said Friday that since the Occupy Oakland encampment was first established in late October, police have arrested about 300 people.

The national Occupy Wall Street movement, which denounces corporate excess and economic inequality, began in New York City in the fall but has been largely dormant lately.

What is breaking into city hall and burning an American flag going to accomplish for Occupy Oakland, which is supposed to be a peaceful, organized movement. Ok, if you’ve heard me bitch about occupy oakland lately, this is why. All week I’ve been hearing from the few people who still care and have hope that there is going to be a peaceful protest to reclaim an abandoned Kaiser building and use it as a political and medical base for the movement. The reason most people have stopped caring is that this movement had been taken over by the new breed of anarchists that instead of going along with the plan, continue to provoke the police by throwing rocks and bottles first. No matter what really happened at any point during the day, this is what the media saw, and this is all anyone else in the country is seeing. At this point, even police in Oakland know they can’t just start firing rubber bullets. So why is everyone still so angry and confused? Anyone with insight into the history of this place and its former political movements can see that this is just chaos. I fully agree with mayor Jean Quan, the way the police dealt with occupy when it first stated was not okay, but at this point, almost none of those original organizers are left. Just “anarchists” with all the time in the world, rouge soldiers who have hijacked the mission for their own petty complaints. “The national Occupy Wall Street movement, which denounces corporate excess and economic inequality, began in New York City in the fall but has been largely dormant lately.” I don’t understand how people can be upset with just the police, it’s the protestors, the demonstrators, the anarchists! There were only a 1,000 people there and from reports and videos, most of them weren’t acting very peaceful! City Hall has nothing to do with corporate excess and economic inequality. The only business they’ve ever “bailed out” is the Merritt Cafe and Bakery. There has always been economic inequality in Oakland, most of Oakland was built up during the war in a boom, and once it was over quickly busted. Now that entire economy is a bust Oakland is being rediscovered, gentrified if you will. People move into Oakland, but work in San Francisco, Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville, any downtown but downtown Oakland. And then they wonder why I don’t want to be involved. It’s because I see people smashing bank windows and small business windows. They break the windows of the local Whole Foods corporation, even though they just donated a ton of food to the community part of the movement. The police should have never removed those tents, but what were they supposed to do once it got dark and gangs of masked and swift young people started throwing fire around? Some started safe flames to burn off tear gas. Some were just starting fires. Some were confused and just wanted to help put them out. And then some police, desperate to disperse people and stop the violence, were forced to use flash-bombs and rubber bullets. That is the procedure. This isn’t a girl biking by and getting pushed down by several cops in riot gear. This is cops being attacked first, and responding in the appropriate legal manner. It was ruled in court a long time ago that cops can use pepper spray on “peaceful” protestors after issuing a warning. I don’t know how to end this, but I suggest you read this article, all the way through, and then make your own, informed, educated opinion. I love you, please leave this town alone and let the community get back to work.