Members of the Occupy SF movement are disputing SFPD allegations that protesters attacked two of their officers with sharp objects during an Occupy San Francisco march Saturday afternoon.
According to SFPD, protestors were marching in the area of Embarcadero and Broadway around 3:30 p.m. Saturday when the attacks occurred, according to police.
Officers accompanying the march were attempting to prevent demonstrators from taking over the middle of the intersection, where Muni light rail lines are located, SFPD said in a statement.
However, in a statement posted to Occupy SF’s website, representatives of the movement say “This is false. The police were engaged in continually trying to flank the marchers and force them off the road and onto the sidewalk, which they succeeded in doing at one point in the march.”
Police say a woman emerged from the crowd and attacked one of the officers with what was described as an exacto blade attached to a pen or pencil like object. She allegedly slashed the inside of the officers hand and ran back into the crowd before the officer had time to realize he had been cut.
At the same location, a protestors allegedly grabbed the radio of another officer and tried to run away into the crowd. When the officer pursued him, another demonstrator allegedly pushed the officer and cut his face and tore his uniform.
The officer was able to retrieve his radio, but both attackers escaped back into the crowd, police said.
Police are asking any witnesses to come forward to help identify the suspects and provide statements, but, as the Ex points out, Occupy SF representatives do not seem to believe these witnesses will be found.
In their statement, Occupy SF representatives say “no evidence of such attacks has come to light, nor have any witnesses turned up after an extensive OccupySF investigation.”
“OccupySF members only report seeing a woman fall down, inadvertently hitting a police officer with her sign as she fell,” they say.
“OccupySF does not recognize violent behavior as part of the movement.”
@KQEDnews @sfappeal why report the SFPD report without any indi corroboration? What if they say someone had a grenade? Nukes? Anthrax?
j s i g h t .
j_sight
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