Yup. A Federal Judge just denied a restraining order against the Oakland Police, giving them free reign to indulge in "sporatic" and "isolated" skull bashing. You think I'm kidding? From the decision:
Sporadic or isolated violations of individual protesters’ rights are insufficient to support broad injunctive relief against an entire agency.
Some days ago the ACLU filed suit against the Oakland Police for violating their own crowd control policies, and asked for a temporary restraining order. Denied.
Yesterday, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Seeborg denied a request by the ACLU of Northern California and the National Lawyers’ Guild for a temporary restraining order preventing excessive use of force by the Oakland Police Department during crowd control situations.
The request for a restraining order stems from the joint ACLU-NLG lawsuit filed earlier this week alleging violations of OPD’s crowd control policies on October 25th and the evening of November 2-3 during clashes between police and Occupy Oakland protesters.
The judge went on to note that it's okay to bash people's heads and shoot them when unprovoked, as long as you act peacefully now and then. And no, I'm not making this up:
In denying the requested restraining order, Judge Seeborg says the Oakland Police Department’s peaceful clearing of the Occupy Oakland encampment in Frank Ogawa Plaza demonstrated no urgent need for restrictions on OPD’s crowd control response.
"No urgent need..."
Let's be clear: the reason the clearing of the Occupy Oakland encampment was peaceful a few nights ago was that almost everyone left the camp. Had it been defended by more than a few dozen ministers and meditators kneeling around their tent, things might have turned out differently. Given the police department's past history, there is no reason to believe the Oakland Police can control themselves when confronted with real civil disobedience, the good judge's judgement convuluted logic nonwithstanding.
A hearing is to be held on November 30th in the lawsuit itself. For further background on the ACLU's actions see Oakland PD to ACLU -- Disclosure Laws? We Don't Obey No Stinkin' Disclosure Laws!
Are you angry yet?
3:55 PM PT: Via Kossack tonyahky:
This is what a police state looks like.
3:58 PM PT:
susie_c Susie Cagle
Fed judge denied @NLG & @ACLU's attempt at restraining order against OPD re: #OO but they're still trying. I was just added as a declarant.
3:59 PM PT:
susie_c Susie Cagle
Not a plaintiff in the case, but a witness to actions and arrests November 2 & 3, for what that might be worth. #OccupyOakland
4:19 PM PT: Not directly related, but OMG
lizzdreadful LiZZ DREADFUL
@OccupyWallStNYC “@axb21: !??! RT @jstetser NYPD police scanner: Police have an estimate of 32,650 protesters on the ground #OWS #n17” #NYC
4:31 PM PT: I can't help myself.
nyclu NYCLU
march spans the entire length of bk bridge #occupywallstreet #ows #dayofaction #n17