Mediaroots

On Saturday, November 19, 2011, Occupy Oakland (OO) held another mass day of action after the nationwide crackdowns against the Occupy Movement days before. In response to the coordinated Federalised repression, the OO General Assembly voted unanimously for a coordinated West Coast Port Shutdown, for which ILWU leaders have announced support, even urging a simultaneous East Coast port shutdown. This would be the first nationwide port shutdown in U.S. history.

Thousands vigorously took to the streets and jubilantly marched through downtown Oakland and around Lake Merritt before tearing down a fence around an empty lot at 19th & Telegraph to establish another OO encampment. The uptown location draws attention to the ongoing gentrification in Oakland, as public schools are being closed whilst charter schools are opening.

The demonstrators held a huge dance party in the streets despite the pouring rain, as over thirty tents were set up by occupiers. Although not enough people held the space overnight to prevent a third raid by Oakland PD the next morning, 11/20, the Occupy Movement continues undeterred. Even as the long-standing OO encampment a few blocks away at Snow Park was forced out by police, 11/21, OO persisted with at least eight more tents sprouting later that evening "in a West Oakland lot at 18th and Linden streets."