Previously: Quan Calls Occupy Oakland’s Decision To Extend Port Shutdown Action “Economic Violence”
Port Official Says Occupy Oakland Demonstration Caused “sporadic disruptions”
Maritime operations are returning to normal at the Port of Oakland this morning after a daylong port blockade along the West Coast, port officials said.
Demonstrators have dispersed from the Port area, officials said this morning.
“Occupy Wall Street” members from different Bay Area contingents picketed early Monday through early this morning to shut down the Oakland port to stand 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.
Officials said this morning, “Due to the protests during the last 24 hours, there is a heavy backlog of work to get through.”
There are seven vessels at dock this morning.
A group of protesters still at the port decided just before 4 a.m. to leave their picket line.
Footage from a livestream at the protest showed group members voting to leave the port after blocking truck drivers coming in for a 3 a.m. shift.
“This is quite a moment in the Occupy movement,” protesters said this morning, claiming the blockade a victory.
Port officials considered the protests more of a disruption.
“These disruptions cost workers shifts and wages, delaying and reducing paychecks. They also cost the Port and City of Oakland vital resources. They hurt the many businesses that pay taxes and help us create jobs,” officials said this morning.
Sasha Lekach, Bay City News
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