Oakland Cops Sow Occupy Dragon's Teeth *

The saving grace of authoritarian fascists is that they always overreact and do something suicidally stupid.

Your latest example is Oakland.

Ken Layne at Wonkette:

Faced with endless photographic documentation of the insane violence of 500 riot cops against a group of protesters in Oakland, the Washington Post editors proved they are good Kaplan 1% corporate lackeys and choose this picture of … a riot cop petting a kitten. Not just any kitten, though. According to the Washington Post, the shameful excuse for a newspaper in the nation’s capital, it’s a kitten that was cruelly left there by the evil protesters. Hooray for the cops! Protesters hate kittens.

And via Boots Riley, here’s what happens when the cops shoot tear gas canisters into crowds:

Video here.

Chicano journalist Rubén Salazar was assassinated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department with a tear gas canister shot through his skull, back in 1970. He had been told by the cops that his coverage of the anti-war Chicano movement was too sympathetic, and he was killed at point blank range by a sheriff’s deputy who was never prosecuted.

More at Wonkette from Kirsten Boyd Johnson:

Jesus H. Christ. First it’s a lot of BANG BANG BANG and screaming as tear gas fills the air followed by GRAPHIC (there, you’re warned if you’re at work) footage of former Marine Scott Olsen from Veterans for Peace being carried away by fellow protesters with blood covering his head after being hit in the face by some type of police projectile. The Contra Costa Times mentions “unconfirmed reports that flash-bang grenades and wood dowels were launched at protesters,” items that cops assume would, what… tickle the protesters if fired directly at their heads? No, the asshole cops know exactly what they are doing, and the Guardian is now reporting that Olsen is currently in critical condition with a skull fracture. We’re glad you survived Iraq, Scott, and it’s unbelievably sad that we now have to hope you survive the Oakland Police Department.

Meanwhile, the San Jose Mercury News reports that the main library in Oakland decided to stay open in support as the protesters gathered there:

On Wednesday morning, library Director Carmen Martinez said the City had supported her decision to keep the library open.

In the early afternoon Tuesday, hours before the protest arrived at the library steps, City Administrator Deanna Santana called Martinez and asked how she wanted to handle the situation, Martinez said.

“I said that we are a symbol of civil society for a lot of groups, including this one, and the folks who protested against the libraries budget cuts, and we will remain open as along as service can be continued without disruption,” Martinez said. “Deanna said she understood and respected that.”

Police also called to ask if the library needed any help or backup, Martinez said, but she declined.

That’s cute, the police thought that the library needed protection from protesters. Evil corporate banks, libraries, whatever, same thing.

OccupyOakland is also reporting rumors that not all of the police are excited to participate in the OPD’s campaign to smash open the heads of people protesting for their crappy old economic justice, and that some are resigning in protest of last night’s brutal clash.

But the best comment I've seen is from Blue Girl at They Gave Us A Republic:

Capitalism Killed Communism, and Now It's Coming for Democracy.

Last night the police rioted in Oakland, California. Under the imprimatur and the color of "law and order" they attacked people who were peaceably assembled with tear gas and rubber bullets.

Those are tactics not normally associated with American police, but with third-world banana-republic enforcers of the status quo and the Israeli Defense Forces. No, strike that -- they will be using IDF tactics when they fire real bullets and shoot Americans in the head at point-blank range. And that's coming. You know it is.

Because once again, the dirty fucking hippies are right, and the authoritarian jackboots can't fucking stand it.

Find your local occupation here. Join them if you can. If not, then provide whatever help you can. At the very least, don't let anyone get away with saying the protesters in Oakland deserved what they got.

* Read the legend here.