Previously: Eighteen Wall Street West Occupiers Arrested
1/21 12:58 AM: By 11:15 p.m. Friday night officers were able to control a former hotel taken over by some activists participating in Occupy Wall Street West demonstrations throughout the day, according to San Francisco police.
Hundreds of protesters clad in rain gear marched through downtown San Francisco Friday evening, one of several events in a day of action organized by Occupy San Francisco and other allied groups.
The march kicked off at Justin Herman Plaza at the foot of Market Street around 5 p.m.
Some protesters got into an altercation with officers in riot gear near Van Ness Avenue and Geary Street shortly after 7 p.m.
Roughly a dozen protesters were pepper sprayed by officers during a confrontation with police, protesters said. Protesters also said some officers used physical force against the protesters.
Shortly after the confrontation, some protesters appeared to break at least one window of a business, which drew criticism from fellow protesters.
“(There) should not have been any property destruction,” a protester known as Stardust said.
Stardust said the vandalism goes “completely against our action agreement for today and (for) all actions of Occupy SF.”
Some protesters entered the former Cathedral Hill Hotel on Van Ness Avenue at Geary Street around 7:45 p.m. Friday night, police Officer Carlos Manfredi said.
After 10 p.m. police said participants threw furniture at officers from the rooftop of the hotel. Officers considered this a safety issue and moved into the building and told protesters to leave or face arrest, according to police.
Three protesters were then arrested for trespassing, police said.
Prior to the hotel arrests, police had made 18 arrests in connection with Occupy San Francisco protests that blocked two banks in the city’s Financial District.
Of those arrests, 17 were made for trespassing on private property, while one was for a protester who allegedly grabbed a police officer’s baton, according to police.
The day of action began with protesters chaining themselves to the entrances of Wells Fargo Bank’s corporate headquarters at 420 Montgomery St. early Friday morning.
Then shortly before 9 a.m., protesters also began blocking a nearby Bank of America branch at 345 Montgomery St.
Multiple blocks of California Street and Montgomery Street were blocked for hours Friday by the demonstrations and the ensuing response by police in riot gear.
More than 100 people gathered outside a federal courthouse in San Francisco Friday afternoon to call for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to overturn the legal doctrine of corporate personhood.
Police said officers will remain at what they consider the trespassed hotel into the early morning to complete a search and clear the building.
8:04 PM: Minor altercations and an act of vandalism have marred an otherwise “extremely peaceful” day of protests in San Francisco, a protester said.
Hundreds of protesters clad in rain gear have been marching through downtown San Francisco this evening, one of several events in a day of action organized by Occupy San Francisco and other allied groups.
The march kicked off at Justin Herman Plaza at the foot of Market Street at around 5 p.m.
“It’s been extremely peaceful all day,” a protester known as Stardust said tonight.
Some protesters got into an altercation with officers in riot gear near Van Ness Avenue and Geary Street shortly after 7 p.m.
Roughly a dozen protesters were pepper sprayed by officers during a confrontation with police, protesters said. Protesters also said some officers used physical force against the protesters.
Shortly after the confrontation, some protesters appeared to break at least one window of a business, which drew criticism from fellow protesters.
“(There) should not have been any property destruction,” Stardust said.
Stardust said the vandalism goes “completely against our action agreement for today and (for) all actions of Occupy SF.”
Some protesters entered a vacant building on Cathedral Hill at around 7:45 p.m., police Officer Carlos Manfredi said.
Manfredi said he could not comment on possible arrests or police action this evening as it was still ongoing.
The day of action began with protesters chaining themselves to the entrances of Wells Fargo Bank’s corporate headquarters at 420 Montgomery St. early this morning.
Then shortly before 9 a.m., protesters also began blocking a nearby Bank of America branch at 345 Montgomery St.
Multiple blocks of California Street and Montgomery Street were blocked for hours today by the demonstrations and the ensuing response by police in riot gear.
More than 100 people gathered outside a federal courthouse in San Francisco this afternoon to call for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to overturn the legal doctrine of corporate personhood.
So far today, police have made 18 arrests in connection with Occupy San Francisco protests that blocked two banks in the city’s Financial District.
Of those arrests, 17 were made for trespassing on private property, while one was for a protester who allegedly grabbed a police officer’s baton, according to police.
Wells Fargo spokesman Ruben Pulido issued a statement today defending the bank against the protests.
“We understand that Americans are demanding more from their financial institutions during this economic recovery,” Pulido said. “Wells Fargo continues to be a responsible corporate citizen and assists those facing financial hardships.”
He said in the past year, less than 2 percent of homeowner-occupied loans in the bank’s servicing portfolio have proceeded to foreclosure sale and that Wells Fargo has worked with homeowners to conduct more than 724,000 mortgage modifications since 2009.
This evening’s march started at Justin Herman Plaza at the foot of Market Street and traffic has been disrupted due to the march.
5:54 PM: Protesters clad in rain gear are marching through downtown San Francisco this evening, one of several events in today’s day of action organized by Occupy San Francisco and other allied groups.
The day of action began with protesters chaining themselves to the entrances of Wells Fargo Bank’s corporate headquarters at 420 Montgomery St. early this morning.
Then shortly before 9 a.m., protesters also began blocking a nearby Bank of America branch at 345 Montgomery St.
Multiple blocks of California Street and Montgomery Street were blocked for hours today by the demonstrations and the ensuing response by police in riot gear.
More than 100 people gathered outside a federal courthouse in San Francisco this afternoon to call for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to overturn the legal doctrine of corporate personhood.
So far today, police have made 18 arrests in connection with Occupy San Francisco protests that blocked two banks in the city’s Financial District.
Of those arrests, 17 were made for trespassing on private property, while one was for a protester who allegedly grabbed a police officer’s baton, according to police.
This evening’s march started at Justin Herman Plaza at the foot of Market Street.
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