OB Rag

By Cecily Burt, Kristin Bender, Sean Maher, Thomas Peele / Oakland Tribune – MercuryNews.com / Nov. 2, 2011 – updated 09:29:24 AM PDT

OAKLAND — Occupy demonstrators turned their ire on big banks Wednesday by marching, blocking traffic and chanting — and in some cases, defacing ATMs and pounding on doors at Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Chase and Citibank branches around downtown.

Thousands of people from all walks of life poured into downtown Oakland from points east, north, south and west, with more heading in every minute to lend their support and their voices to the general strike, the first of its kind in Oakland since 1946. For a time large crowds split off in separate marches, with some staying at the Occupy Oakland camp at 14th and Broadway, and others marching and protesting at various banks located near the Kaiser Center at 20th and Webster streets.

For the third time in as many weeks, Occupy San Diego activists attended the Tuesday San Diego City Council meeting in efforts to elicit support from the Council. They did this by making comments during the “Public Comment” period looking for a resolution from the City’s legislative branch in favor of Occupy San Diego’s efforts – such as the LA City Council took for Occupy LA.

Organizers spoke about the recent late-night police raids during which 51 occupiers were arrested, about the people injured during those raids, and particularly about the manner in which police made subsequent arrests – producing an extremely negative image for the City.

UPDATES inside

Police confiscated a large amount of personal property when they swept through the civic Center Plaza early friday morning, and many people have expressed concern over how or if they would be able to get any of it back.

As posted by Matthew Hall, a rough list of items confiscated from OccupySD

• 4 big pop up tents
• 7 big trash cans full of miscellaneous stuff (ie. skateboards, blankets, clothing, sleeping bags, tents, tarps)
• 15 chairs
• 1 shabby chic yellow nightstand
• 8 tables
• variety of cardboard signs
• 7 bikes
• 30 backpacks/carts/roller suitcases
• 9 boxes labeled games, dvds/books, toys, helmets, lunch boxes, blankets
• 1 bucket labeled OC and mace remedy and prevention, containing vinegar and imodium AD
• 3 coolers
• 4-5 cameras
• 10 plastic crates full of stuff
• Also: 16 individual lots of property impounded from specific arrestees (backpacks, purses, tents, etc.)

SOURCE: SDPD

We are not camping. We are assembling peaceably to petition the government for a redress of grievances. This is our permit. The Bill of Rights – Article 1.

A combination of police crackdowns and bad weather are testing the young Occupy movement. But rumors of its demise are premature, to say the least.

By Robert Reich / Christian Science Monitor / November 1, 2011

A combination of police crackdowns and bad weather are testing the young Occupy movement. But rumors of its demise are premature, to say the least. Although numbers are hard to come by, anecdotal evidence suggests the movement is growing.

As importantly, the movement has already changed the public debate in America.

By Desert Sun staff / November 1, 2011

PALM DESERT — At least eight people were arrested overnight as Palm Desert police cleared the park where Occupy Coachella Valley protesters camped for a week.

“I saw a brigade of cops; it was unbelievable,” said protester Steven Finger, 56, of Palm Desert. “They were in two rows wearing gear and they were marching down the street.”

Five protesters and two other people not involved with Occupy Coachella Valley were arrested at Civic Center Park, Riverside County sheriff’s Lt. Bill Sullivan wrote in an email to The Desert Sun about 1:30 a.m. A Desert Sun photographer saw two more protesters arrested about 15 minutes later.

Wednesday night, November 2nd, at the OB Recreation Center, the Ocean Beach Planning Board will formally review the plans for the Ocean Park Villas project, slated for the corner of Abbott and Saratoga.

This is the project that recently went before the California Coastal Commission where three OB Planning Board members spoke and convinced them to send the project back to Ocean Beach for a public review. This decision was seen as a victory for community planning – although it may be short lived. The Commission’s staff had recommended approval of the plans – despite substantial changes from the original and the lack of any public review process by either Ocean Beach or San Diego for that matter.

by Lucas O’Connor / Two Cathedrals / October 31, 2011

Hypocrisy is a painfully familiar political topic in recent years, but this is a particularly stunning case. Congressman Brian Bilbray is co-sponsoring legislation that would boost the US economy and create jobs by demanding that China play by the same economic rules as the rest of the world — but using parliamentary tactics to block the House of Representatives from being allowed to hold a vote. That is, he signed himself up to help pass the bill, and is now blocking the passage of that bill. At the cost of new jobs — lots of them.

by Marco Gonzalez / Two Cathedrals / Originally published Oct. 28, 2011

I have to admit, I was pretty bummed when I received the text at 3 a.m. indicating the San Diego Police and County Sheriffs had thought it a good idea to put on the riot gear and beat up a bunch of sleeping Occupy SD activists at the Civic Center Plaza. Having seen the Third World-esque images of the Occupy Oakland raids earlier this week, I feared the worst. I also wondered if the same “public safety and hygiene” excuse used to justify tear gas and baton beatings in Oakland would be employed by our so-called public servants in America’s Finest City. At the same time, I hoped the strong-arm tactics in response to peaceful demonstration would ultimately backfire and spur earlier supporters back into the mix.

Here are the choices that faced Mayor Jerry Sanders at the end of last week.

Which costs more?

4 portapotties cleaned out weekly for $300 a month or over-time pay for 110 law enforcement officers, cost of gas and vehicles to transport the 51 arrestees to Vista or Las Colinas?

NBC San Diego / October 31, 2011

A local man whose body was found under the Ingraham Street Bridge was the victim of an accident according to officials.

A family sailing on Mission Bay discovered the body of Steve Marquez on Aug. 30. The San Diego resident had been missing for several days when his body was discovered according to his brother-in-law, Mark Jimenez.

Group to march from Balboa Park to the Gaslamp to highlight frightening facts about corruption in America’s financial and political systems

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – On October 31, 2011, Occupy San Diego will lead a Halloween march through downtown San Diego to promote social justice, honesty, and generosity.

With costumes, street theatre, and candy, Occupy San Diego will rally at 5:00pm at the Haunted Trail Entrance in Balboa Park (6th & Juniper, just south of the Laurel Street Bridge).

March starts at 5:30pm from the Haunted Trail Entrance and will walk to the Civic Center, to Children’s Park, the Haunted Hotel, and ending in the Gaslamp Quarter.