Related: Iraq War Veteran Critically Injured During #OccupyOakland Protests
12:59 AM: Hundreds of “Occupy Oakland” marchers through downtown Oakland have since dispersed, with some protesters returning to the site of Tuesday’s police raids at Frank Ogawa Plaza early this morning.
The march had been mostly peaceful Wednesday evening through the streets of downtown, with riot police monitoring the crowds.
Downtown BART stations — 19th and 12th Street stations–are both open until service ends around 1 a.m., a BART official said.
At least one protester was detained at the 12th Street BART station Wednesday evening after a brief skirmish between police and protesters near the station entrance.
During Wednesday’s marches, protesters called for a citywide strike on Nov. 2, where workers and students would leave their positions to join a march in downtown Oakland.
Protesters also announced that the first planning meeting for the strike would be held today at 5 p.m., prior to a general assembly at 6 p.m.
9:02 PM: Demonstrators at the “Occupy Oakland” general assembly meeting at Frank Ogawa Plaza tonight addressed the critical injury of Scott Olsen, a former Marine who served two tours in Iraq, which occurred during Tuesday night’s demonstration.
Iraq Veterans Against the War, a group Olsen worked with, said Olsen was injured when he was struck by a police projectile and suffered a fractured skill.
Tuesday night, police blocked the entire plaza including surrounding streets and kept the protesters from entering using tear gas, rubber bullets and smoke grenades.
In the southeast corner of the plaza tonight, candles surrounded a picture of Olsen after he had been injured.
“The police did nothing,” a speaker at the meeting said. “The police did not have an ambulance at hand.”
Abele Carpenter, a Friends of Olsen’s, said earlier today that protesters transported him to the hospital.
Protesters at tonight’s general assembly meeting also addressed how to move forward given the recent events.
“The whole world is watching Oakland,” said the speaker who opened the discussion.
The group called for a citywide strike on Nov. 2, where workers and students would leave their positions to join a march in downtown Oakland.
The announcement drew cheers from the gathered crowd.
Protesters also announced that the first planning meeting for the strike would be held Thursday at 5 p.m., prior to the general assembly at 6 p.m.
8 PM: The fences are coming down at Oakland’s Frank Ogawa Plaza this evening while a general assembly meeting continues among “Occupy Oakland” protesters.
At least 500 protesters (some say as many as 3000) gathered at the plaza to reclaim the site of their encampment, which was raided by police early Tuesday morning.
The entire plaza was not barricaded this evening as it had been Tuesday night, but the grass area of the plaza was blocked by a chain-link fence.
Many of the protesters jeered when a small group tried to take the fences down earlier this evening.
“I see this as a trap,” said a speaker at the meeting, pointing to the fence surrounding the grass area of the plaza. “They’re hoping we walk right into this trap.”
At around 7 p.m. around 50 to 100 protesters succeed in tearing down sections of the fence on the opposite side of the plaza from where the meeting is taking place.
The group entered the grassy area, which city officials earlier today said was in the process of being cleaned using chemicals.
Tuesday night, police blocked the entire plaza including surrounding streets and kept the protesters from entering using tear gas, rubber bullets and smoke grenades.
Compared to Tuesday night’s demonstration, the police presence this evening is much less prevalent and the gathering has been peaceful.
This evening, protesters sat in a circle in the amphitheater in front of City Hall to hold their general assembly meeting, as they did every night when the Oakland encampment occupied the plaza.
Protesters at the meeting tonight announced that “Occupy Wall Street”–the protest that inspired “Occupy Oakland”–donated $20,000 to the Oakland demonstration.
Speakers this evening urged protesters to keep the commitment to nonviolence.
“The 99 percent should have a monopoly on peace,” one speaker said.
7:30 PM: At least 500 Oakland protesters have gathered at Frank Ogawa Plaza again this evening.
They came to reclaim the site of their encampment, which was raided by police early Tuesday morning.
The entire plaza was not barricaded as it had been Tuesday night but the grass area of the plaza was blocked by a chain-link fence.
@sfappeal @occupyoakland is estimating 3000. i believe @northoaklandnow was estimating 1500-2000 over an hour ago. way more than 500.
primless
Tuesday night, police blocked the entire plaza including surrounding streets and kept the protesters from entering using tear gas, rubber bullets and smoke grenades.
The protesters sat in a circle in the amphitheater in front of City Hall this evening to hold their general assembly meeting, as they did every night when the Oakland encampment occupied the plaza.
“This is the most inspiring point of my life. Never in my life have I felt that change is so close in this country,” said a protester who identified himself as Ethan, a speaker at the meeting.
Protesters at the meeting announced that “Occupy Wall Street”–the protest that inspired “Occupy Oakland”–donated $20,000 to the Oakland demonstration.
Some protesters climbed over the surrounding fence to join the meeting but were met with jeers from the crowd who were hoping to avoid confrontations with police.
“I see this as a trap,” said another speaker, pointing to the fence surrounding the grass area of the plaza. “They’re hoping we walk right into this trap.”
Other speakers this evening urged protesters to keep the commitment to nonviolence.
“The 99 percent should have a monopoly on peace,” one speaker said.
Scott Morris, Bay City News
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