Occupy Oakland Brutal Standoff & Assault
Abby Martin of Media Roots reports from the front lines of the brutal police-state repression of the non-violent Occupy Oakland protesters, who were practicing their freedom to assemble on Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at 7:30pm. The footage captures an increasingly tense standoff between the Oakland Police Department and the Occupy Wall Street protesters in the moments preceding the aggressive assault on the crowd.
Things came to a head around 7:45pm when the coordinated 17-agency police action, including Oakland PD, approved by Major Jean Quan, started throwing smoke bombs, firing tear gas projectile canisters and rubber bullets into the crowd, completely unprovoked.
Although it's not evident in this footage, Iraq war veteran and Occupy Oakland-supporter Scott Olsen was shot in the head by a tear gas projectile at point blank range by one of the assaulting riot cops during this anti-democratic, unconstitutional drama of police terrorism. Olsen has been hospitalised and is reported to be in serious condition with a fractured skull at presstime.
