2:24 PM: Port of Oakland Executive Director Omar Benjamin said a large protest at the port this morning caused “sporadic disruptions” and delays but that all terminals are open and traffic is flowing in and out of the port.
Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan said the protest was mostly peaceful but that two people were arrested outside the port’s America Terminal at 1599 Maritime St. shortly before noon for failing to comply with a police order to stop blocking a driveway.
Jordan said seven people were blocking the driveway and five of them complied with police orders to move.
He said there haven’t been any reports of violence associated with the protest but that there was one report of vandalism.
Benjamin said that although operations are continuing at all seven of the port’s marine terminals and its two rail terminals, the protest has affected some terminals’ gates and caused truck traffic to back up.
Mid-morning, dozens of trucks were lined up outside at least two of the port’s entrances as hundreds of protesters blocked drivers’ paths.
Isaac Kos-Read, the port’s director of external affairs, said trucks are now moving in and out of all terminals but said the situation is “dynamic.”
He said the today’s disruptions are much more minor so far than those caused by the previous protest at the port on Nov. 2.
Oakland Mayor Jean Quan said the protest has been peaceful and said, “We’re trying to keep the port and businesses open with a minimum of disruption.”
Kos-Read said port officials are working with police to gear up for the protest’s second wave, which is expected to begin late this afternoon.
“We will do the same thing we did this morning, which is to work with law enforcement to minimize disruptions,” Kos-Read said.
Protesters plan to rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in downtown Oakland at 3 p.m. and march to the port an hour later. Another group will meet at the West Oakland BART station again at 5 p.m. for a march to the port.
The marches are part of a West Coast port blockade today organized by the Occupy movement that is taking place in cities including Los Angeles, San Diego, Portland and Seattle.
12:18 PM: Many truck drivers at the Port of Oakland say they disagree with the tactics of protesters who shut down several entrances at the port today as part of a West Coast port blockade.
Protesters began marching to the port from the West Oakland BART station shortly after 5:30 a.m.
The protest appeared to thin out mid-morning, and Port of Oakland spokesman Robert Bernardo said that as of 11:30 a.m., “our terminals are open and operational.”
The port had reported “sporadic disruptions” earlier this morning caused by the protest.
Several other marches are planned throughout the day, including a march at 4 p.m. from Frank Ogawa Plaza, and another from the West Oakland BART station at 5 p.m.
There were at least 600 protesters outside the port’s entrances early this morning. Dozens of trucks were lined up nearby as protesters blocked the drivers’ way.
Joel Hume, a driver for C.R. England, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, was waiting in line at Berths 30-32 with a truckload of beef and pork this morning.
“Raising awareness about income inequality is good, but I don’t agree with their methods,” Hume said.
He said, “I want to see things changed as well, but they shouldn’t prevent people from doing their jobs. They’re taking food out of peoples’ mouths.”
Hume said he had been waiting to get into the port since Sunday night to drop off the food he is carrying.
“I’m trapped,” he said.
Hume said he used to be homeless and now lives in his truck as he drives his truck throughout the West Coast and the Midwest.
“I’m married to this truck,” he said, although he added that he occasionally visits his daughter in Spokane, Wash.
Another trucker for C.R., who said his first name is Mark but didn’t want to give his last name, said he doesn’t support the protest because “I’m losing money.”
Mark, who is based in Salt Lake City, said, “They’re stopping me from doing my job and it’s not right. I’m pissed.”
He said, “I understand some of their points, but let me do my job.”
Mark estimated that he will lose between $200 and $400 today. He said his net profit is small because he spends a lot of money on gas, insurance and truck payments.
Jairo Osorio-Enriquez, a trucker with Capital Intermodal, said, “They’re protesting the wrong people.”
He said the protesters should be targeting the offices of corporations and politicians, not blocking independent truckers such as himself from doing business at the port.
“They’re not doing anything that’s affecting politicians or corporations, but they’re hurting truckers,” Osorio-Enriquez said.
He said, “We choose to do this job and he decided to become a trucker four years ago to help pay for the college tuition for his two daughters.
Osorio-Enriquez, who lives in southern Nevada, said he previously worked at a casino and managed a large printing company.
He said he doesn’t like waiting to get into the port and said, “I’d rather be at home with my wife and grandkids.”
As of 9 a.m., hundreds of protesters had blocked off the entrance to Berths 30-32, and Alameda County sheriff’s deputies were keeping an eye on hundreds more who had gathered at the entrance to Berths 55-56.
Protester Shake Anderson, who said he has been involved in the Occupy Oakland movement since the beginning, said the demonstrators’ strategy was to keep a large crowd at the port to make it difficult for police to make arrests.
“It’s all about numbers,” he said.
Quan held a news conference this morning at which she called on protesters to “respect the rights of the 99 percent who are trying to work today.”
The blockade is part of a coordinated port shutdown involving Occupy movements from Anchorage, Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, San Diego and other cities.
Jeff Shuttleworth, Bay City News
9:25 AM: Protesters have blocked at least two entrances to the Port of Oakland this morning as part of a planned all-day West Coast port blockade.
As of 9 a.m., hundreds of protesters had blocked off the entrance to Berths 30-32, and Alameda County sheriff’s deputies were keeping an eye on hundreds more who had gathered at the entrance to Berths 55-56.
Dozens of trucks were lined up outside both entrances as drivers waited to get into the port.
One truck driver, who declined to give his name, said he had come from Santa Rosa and had been waiting since 5 a.m.
He said he anticipates that the port will be closed all day and is awaiting instructions on what to do with his cargo.
Meanwhile, protesters milled about, chanting and playing music. Around 8:45 a.m., dozens of police officers in riot gear showed up at the entrance to Berths 30-32 but then left a few minutes later.
Protester Shake Anderson, who said he has been involved in the Occupy Oakland movement since the beginning, said the demonstrators’ strategy is to keep a large crowd at the port to make it difficult for police to make arrests.
“It’s all about numbers,” he said.
Oakland attorney Dan Siegel, Mayor Jean Quan’s former legal adviser, was among those participating in the march to the port this morning.
Siegel resigned as Quan’s unpaid legal adviser on Nov. 14, the morning that police raided the Occupy Oakland encampment outside City Hall. He was leaving this morning’s protest at about 7:20 a.m., heading to a client’s court hearing.
Protesters began marching from the West Oakland BART station shortly after 5:30 a.m.
They plan to hold several other marches throughout the day to disrupt shipping, including a march at 4 p.m. from Frank Ogawa Plaza, and another from the West Oakland BART station at 5 p.m.
Oakland police said this morning that they will attempt to keep the port open, but that traffic through Oakland may be disrupted as they facilitate marches through the city.
Port of Oakland officials said around 7:15 a.m. that operations were continuing at the port with “sporadic disruptions” caused by the protests.
Quan held a news conference this morning at which she called on protesters to “respect the rights of the 99 percent who are trying to work today.”
The blockade is part of a coordinated West Coast port shutdown involving Occupy movements from Anchorage, Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, San Diego and other cities.
“They performed a coordinated attack on the whole Occupy Wall Street because this is a threatening movement to the 1 percent,” organizer Boots Riley, of the hip-hop group The Coup, said today.
“This is a retaliation against that. We’re causing a lot of profit loss to show it’s not a feasible economic plan for them to attack us,” Riley said.
Riley said the action is also in solidarity with International Longshore and Warehouse Union members in a labor dispute with grain exporter EGT in Longview, Wash., and with truck drivers in Los Angeles who are classified as independent contractors and do not receive benefits.
Port and city officials and ILWU leaders have criticized the plan, saying that the action will hurt port workers by costing them wages.
ILWU leaders have said that while they support the broader goals of the Occupy movement, they have accused Occupy activists of trying to co-opt union struggles for a broader agenda.
8:03 AM: Oakland attorney Dan Siegel, Mayor Jean Quan’s former legal adviser, was among those participating in a march to the Port of Oakland this morning for a planned blockade.
Siegel resigned as Quan’s unpaid legal adviser on Nov. 14, the morning that police raided the Occupy Oakland encampment outside City Hall. He was leaving this morning’s protest at about 7:20 a.m., heading to a client’s court hearing.
Protesters began marching from the West Oakland BART station shortly after 5:30 a.m.
Their goal is to shut down the port all day, and they plan to hold several other marches throughout the day to disrupt shipping, including a march at 4 p.m. from Frank Ogawa Plaza, and another from the West Oakland BART station at 5 p.m.
Oakland police said this morning that they will attempt to keep the port open, but that traffic through Oakland may be disrupted as they facilitate marches through the city.
Hundreds of protesters marched on foot down Seventh Street, while others loaded into buses.
Quan held a news conference this morning at which she called on protesters to “respect the rights of the 99 percent who are trying to work today.”
As of 7:30 a.m., at least 10 trucks were lined up outside the entrance to Berths 30-32 at the Port of Oakland as protesters blocked their path.
The blockade is part of a coordinated West Coast port shutdown involving Occupy movements from Anchorage, Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, San Diego and other cities.
“They performed a coordinated attack on the whole Occupy Wall Street because this is a threatening movement to the 1 percent,” organizer Boots Riley, of the hip-hop group The Coup, said today.
“This is a retaliation against that. We’re causing a lot of profit loss to show it’s not a feasible economic plan for them to attack us,” Riley said.
Riley said the action is also in solidarity with International Longshore and Warehouse Union members in a labor dispute with grain exporter EGT in Longview, Wash., and with truck drivers in Los Angeles who are classified as independent contractors and do not receive benefits.
Port and city officials and ILWU leaders have criticized the plan, saying that the action will hurt port workers by costing them wages.
ILWU leaders have said that while they support the broader goals of the Occupy movement, they have accused Occupy activists of trying to co-opt union struggles for a broader agenda.
7:10 AM: Police have blocked several hundred Occupy Oakland protesters from entering the Port of Oakland near the corner of Seventh and Maritime Streets.
Protesters began marching from the West Oakland BART station shortly after 5:30 a.m.
They are planning to attempt to shut down the Port all day, and will hold several other marches throughout the day to disrupt shipping, including a march at 4 p.m. from Frank Ogawa Plaza, and another from the West Oakland BART station at 5 p.m.
Oakland police said this morning that they will attempt to keep Port operations open, but traffic through Oakland may be disrupted as they facilitate marches through the city.
Hundreds of protesters marched on foot down Seventh Street, while others loaded into buses.
The Oakland Port action is part of a planned coordinated West Coast port shutdown, involving Occupy movements from Anchorage, Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, San Diego and others.
“They performed a coordinated attack on the whole Occupy Wall Street because this is a threatening movement to the one percent,” organizer Boots Riley from the hip-hop group The Coup said today.
“This is a retaliation against that. We’re causing a lot of profit loss to show it’s not a feasible economic plan for them to attack us,” Riley said.
Riley said the action is also in solidarity with International Longshore and Warehouse Union members in a labor dispute with grain exporter EGT in Longview, Wash. and with truck drivers in Los Angeles, who are classified as independent contractors and do not receive benefits.
Port and city officials and ILWU leaders have criticized the plan, saying that the action will hurt Port workers by costing them wages.
ILWU leaders have said that while they support the broader goals of the Occupy movement, they have accused Occupy activists of trying to co-opt union struggles for a broader agenda.
6:13 AM: Hundreds of Occupy Oakland protesters are marching toward the Port of Oakland and are planning to attempt to blockade the Port for the rest of the day.
Protesters began marching from the West Oakland BART station shortly after 5:30 a.m.
Protesters are planning to attempt to shut down the Port all day, and will hold several other marches throughout the day to disrupt shipping.
Hundreds of protesters are marching on foot down Seventh Street, while others loaded into buses.
Port and city officials and International Longshore and Warehouse Union leaders have criticized the plan, saying that the action will hurt Port workers.
“Business is how we’re being exploited, if we don’t shut it down how do you expect us to change anything,” one protester marching toward the Port said, responding to charges that the action will hurt workers.
Police have been following the march in patrol cars but have not tried to disrupt the movement of protesters.
Scott Morris, Bay City News
5:34 AM: As Occupy Oakland protesters prepare to attempt to blockade the Port of Oakland today, Mayor Jean Quan asked protesters to reconsider shutting down one of the nation’s busiest ports for a second time.
Quan issued an open letter to protesters on Sunday, telling them that shutting down the Port could cost workers lost wages, and affect the ability of the Port to attract business in the future.
Protesters are planning to blockade the Port beginning at 6 a.m. today, when they will march from the West Oakland BART station. Other marches are planned for 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. as well.
The action is part of a coordinated shutdown of West Coast ports, and has been endorsed by Occupy movements from Anchorage to San Diego, with each city planning a shut down of its own.
Activists in Houston are also planning to shut down the port there, and even landlocked Occupy groups in Denver and Salt Lake City are planning to disrupt Walmart distribution centers today.
Occupy Oakland previously shut down the Port of Oakland overnight during a daylong “general strike” action on Nov. 2.
“What is the target in this action? Who will it really hurt?” Quan wrote in her letter.
“The Port of Oakland is not the home of the 1 percent. Rather, it generates over 73,000 jobs in the region and is connected to more than 800,000 jobs across the country. It is one of the best sources of good paying blue-collar jobs left in our city,” Quan wrote.
Occupy Oakland activists have suggested that the loss of profits by shutting down the Port will disrupt “Wall Street on the Waterfront” and the large companies shipping to and from the Port.
West Coast activists have also said the action is in solidarity with a long-standing labor dispute between International Longshore and Warehouse Union workers and grain exporter EGT in Longview, Wash.
ILWU leaders have accused the Occupy activists of attempting to co-opt the ILWU struggle for a broader agenda, suggesting that the action may do more to harm that negotiation than help it.
However, Occupy Oakland has drawn support from individual union members, and the ILWU has supported the broader goals of the Occupy movement while not directly endorsing the Port actions.
The Oakland Education Association endorsed calls for the Port shutdown Friday, encouraging members to join the action to support the ILWU struggle in Longview, the rights of non-union truck drivers, and to draw attention to under-funded education.
“Oakland is not a poor city and the wealth of the 1 percent can assist in leveling the playing field for all of our children, young adults and the 99 percent,” union president Betty Olson-Jones said in a statement.
Occupy Oakland has continued to try to raise support, distributing flyers throughout the Bay Area, knocking on doors in neighborhoods near the Port, and even occupying a handmade raft in Lake Merritt.
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