You've seen the canonical pictures of November 2nd. The masses of people streaming over the bridge to #occupy the Port of Oakland. People atop the abandoned trucks with the huge cranes in the background. Here's one.
It wasn't like that this time. Yes, there were masses of people. But when Glen the Plumber, Allie123, SmellyBeast and I, participating in the second march to the port at 4:00 PM starting at City Center, got to the crest of that overpass and looked out over the port there was...
Nothing.
Not a truck to be seen. Not a railcar moving. Not a crane operating. Not a worker stirring. Just a beautiful sunset; the perfect end to the perfect day. The Port had been abandoned; the workers told not even to bother coming in for the night shift. Aside from a small contigent of police whom, I suspect, had no interest in unloading cargo from the docks, there was...
Nothing.
Whose World? Our World! -- photo by allie123
Except for thousands and thousands of #occupiers. Chanting and Singing, Marching and Dancing, on their way to hold a General Assembly at 7:00 PM somewhere very deep into the bowels of the port.
occupyoakland Occupy Oakland
At least 8000 people at the Port of Oakland right now, Please come down and party with us! We will be having a GA soon.
I heard KCBS estimate 1,000 as I was driving home, but both estimates are, I believe, far from accurate. In my estimation there were three to four thousand people there when I turned to leave about 5:30 PM, with more coming in as I recrossed the overpass.
All this had been accomplished in three weeks. Logistics, planning, publicity, speakers, communications, coordination, contigency plans, posters, flyers, supplies and on and on and on. You may think I'm kidding, but I am not, because I was there from the beginning. A relatively small, ragtag bunch of people meeting every other day out in the freezing night air on Frank Ogawa Plaza / Oscar Grant Park-- likely with infiltrators amongst them -- pulled off one of the most amazingly successful events in Oakland's history, not to mention taking the lead in coordinating similar events up and down the West Coast with other #Occupy and Labor groups.
It takes a certain level of insanity and hutzpah to have believed, three weeks ago, that a down an out #OccupyOakland could come anywhere near to pulling this off. But the fact of the matter is they did. They deserve my, and your, salute.
Scott Olsen (center) leading the march this afternoon -- photo by Allie123
To those who keep wondering "Why the Port?" I would like to (very briefly) address that.
The Port of Oakland has been shut down many times in protest. In the 80's it was shutdown to protest Apartheid in South Africa. It was shut down in 2003 in a very similar action to protest the Iraq War. In 2010 the workers shut it down in solidary with Oscar Grant's family.
"An injury to one is an injury to all," said Richard Mead, president of International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 10, which represents workers at all Bay Area ports. "We try to live by that moral. Everybody here today should be proud, because that's the message we're sending."
There is a long and proud tradition in Oakland of Port Shutdowns as a means of protest. Today's action carried on that tradition.
Gloriously.
Read about the first shutdown march, at 5:30 AM this morning, here.
8:14 PM PT:
This morning San Diego's picket line at the port was held for three hours until broken by police, after which longshoremen crossed picket lines and went to work. Several people were violently snatched and arrested.
Also this morning in Houston marchers were snatched by police, handcuffed and lain out on the ground. The fire department covered them in a giant red inflatable tent to conceal what they were doing to them from the rest of the protesters. Many cops had tape covering their names and badge numbers. In the hours following police repression increased, mounted police attacked protesters followed by more arrests, and there was one report of a gun being pulled on someone parking their car near the protest.
Denver, Longmont, Boulder and Greely gathered at the WalMart distribution center in Loveland Colorado this morning to blockade the trucks in solidarity with the West Coast Blockade. Protesters were dragged away by police and arrested.
Seattle's blockade this evening, after being brutally beaten back at one terminal is currently being tear gassed, and flash grenades are being deployed. Some arrests have been made, but no word on the number.
Both San Diego and Seattle have requested an extension of the blockade, in solidarity with them for the police repression they have endured.
http://westcoastportshutdown.org/...
8:18 PM PT:
alyssa011968 Alyssa
#OccupyOakland rank & file of ILWU want thank occupiers say Your an inspiration 2 motivate us 2 kp fighting phone Longview.
1 hour ago
alyssa011968 Alyssa
#OccupyOakland Clarence from ILWU Longshoreman in Longview waging fight w EGT. We r here in solidarity w/ rank & file. Have union rep
8:32 PM PT:
occupyoakland Occupy Oakland
Based on verified police repression @ #occupyseattle #occupyhouston #occupylongbeach # occupysd- we will extend our port blockade. #oo # ows
8:42 PM PT:
JoshuaHol Joshua Holland
Prob'ly 3/4 of this very large crowd heading out. I fear many arrests of the remaing occupiers, who have to split up, at 3 am. #D12
9:19 PM PT:
alyssa011968 Alyssa
#OccupyOakland I found perfect spot to rest. Most ppl dancing. campl.us/g5l0
9:20 PM PT: At last! A picture of Alyssa tweeting!!
9:28 PM PT:
alyssa011968 Alyssa
"Contingent holding down port will soon move to APL terminal (60-63) near Adeline bridge.direct supplies and support there." #OccupyOakland
10:40 PM PT:
RaniaKhalek Rania Khalek
Funny how the top 1% suddenly cares about their workers losing a day's pay only when their profits are threatened #D12