Oakland Marches to shut down the Port! 5,800 people inbound!
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Protesters are marching by City Hall as I type. A second group is marching from Washington Square park at NYU. It may double the size of the current march.
We can't give a clear number at this hour, but thousands are marching in solidarity with Oakland.
With the march is Shamar Thomas, the Marine who demanded that the NYPD cease it's attack on peaceful protesters in Times Square.
Marines in uniform are marching in this protesters, and it stretches farther than one block on both sides of Broadway.
Stay with us. We have two reporters in this march.
To see previous coverage of today's events, go here:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
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3:11 PM PT: As night falls in New York City, thousands march in solidarity with Oakland.
Passing city hall, the protesters chant "We Will Fight! We Will Win! Oakland, New York, Wisconsin!"
3:12 PM PT: Protesters have arrived at one police plaza, and are penned in.
The protesters are chanting "HIS NAME IS SCOTT OLSEN."
3:14 PM PT: People are talking about their experiences of police brutality as they are penned in at one police plaza.
3:20 PM PT: Back in Oakland, the Oakland Tribune reports that protesters STOPPED an attack on Whole Foods.
As marchers approached the Whole Foods Market near Lake Merritt, a small group of people in black infiltrated the group, smashing the windows and throwing paint at the store. Other demonstrators who had marched to Whole Foods enveloped the agitators, forcing them to stop. Fist-fights broke out. No one went inside; the store closed before the crowd arrived. After the incident, the crowd continued to move down Grand Avenue. Protesters on Twitter appear to be trying to find the people responsible for the vandalism.
3:23 PM PT: A thousand protesters cheer at the top of their lungs to remember Oscar Grant, "Making noise in his honor."
Incredible testimony about police violence in New York.
3:25 PM PT:
3:30 PM PT: Protesters hold up American Flag, displaying it to the NYPD.
Shamar Thomas to OWS: "You have a right to be here. Vets are here to protect you!"
He ended an incredible speech saying "I love you!"
3:34 PM PT:
3:35 PM PT: That last image from OccupyOakland.
3:39 PM PT: The last time a march like this happened, the protesters stole the NYPD kettling net. It's being discussed on Livestream right now.
Here's the video we shot of that event. We were there:
Video streaming by Ustream
3:40 PM PT: The crowd is turning around, and planning to march again!
3:41 PM PT: We're getting reports that four cranes out of thirty were working at the Oakland port this morning. We're trying to confirm that.
3:44 PM PT: Some petty vandalism occurred in Oakland today. There's always a few bad apples that show up to cause trouble. I understand the anger: BoA are the ones who own MY loans. But let's keep it peaceful, people.
http://p.twimg.com/...
3:46 PM PT: A massive police presence is at this march. I think they might be a bit miffed that they weren't ready for the last big Oakland solidarity march. They want to keep their nets this time.
3:53 PM PT: We're getting unconfirmed reports of Pepper Spray at Occupy Seattle, with protesters chanting "From New York to Oakland, the system is broken!"
3:57 PM PT: Massive police presence. I'm looking at a wall of trucks and scooters following the march.
4:04 PM PT: The woman in this Mercedes Benz rolled down her window and high-fived protesters. This has happened multiple times with different vehicles.
http://twitter.com/...
4:17 PM PT: Our stream is back up. Marchers have been told that George Bush is at Goldman Sachs. Huh.
No confirmation on that, but the Marchers may head in that direction.
4:20 PM PT: Children lead the way in Oakland march: http://twitter.com/...
4:33 PM PT: Protesters have arrived at Goldman Sachs, where George Bush is rumored to be meeting with executives. Most of Zuccotti is swarming in that direction. The crowd is growing. Our man with the camera got separated temporarily, and will be returning shortly.
4:34 PM PT: Our livestream is up. Security refers to protesters as Bums and flips off camera.
4:35 PM PT: We'd like to remind people that Goldman headquarters was built with 1 billion dollars of taxpayer funds.
4:36 PM PT: Protesters swarm Goldman, chanting "Arrest George Bush!"
4:36 PM PT: The rumor is that George W Bush is in Goldman.
4:38 PM PT: Two gentlemen in dark suits with earpieces are visible in livestream right now.
4:39 PM PT: Police make huge barricade on the west side of the building with scooters, blocking entrance. The protesters seek a different route.
4:43 PM PT: Protesters step aside, and allow Goldman Employees to leave unmolested.
4:50 PM PT: The crowd is completely peaceful. Police are standing among them, monitoring. There are tons of private security inside of Goldman Sachs.
4:53 PM PT: "Their accountability is our responsibility!" chant the crowd.
5:03 PM PT: Images from the march on Sachs:
5:08 PM PT: Larry: "I worked on wall st for 27 years. They destroyed our economy! We're not bums!"
5:17 PM PT: INCREDIBLE images out of Oakland! The port is shut down! Trucks are stopped!
5:20 PM PT: NPR Estimates 5,800 people are marching to shut down the Oakland port!
5:24 PM PT: "Whose port? OUR PORT!" Chants OccupyOakland and OccupySF as they march on the port of Oakland.
5:30 PM PT: Protesters won't be arrested if they don't enter the port. They're not going to be removed from the streets outside, say police.
We're trying to confirm a report that the Oakland police chief said they do not have the numbers to ensure safety.
5:34 PM PT: ABC 7 chopper footage. I can't embed it:
http://abclocal.go.com/...
5:43 PM PT: The view of Oakland is stunning!
5:44 PM PT: Protesters have left Goldman Sachs in NYC.
5:45 PM PT: President of the Port Authority says the port is shut down. He asks the protesters to allow workers to leave safely.
5:51 PM PT: We can confirm that someone in the Board of Trade building at Occupy Chicago dumped McDonalds employment applications on the crowd.
Are you serious, BoT?
6:00 PM PT: I'm watching protesters play hacki sack on top of a semitrailer.
6:11 PM PT: We're live! Large march returning to Goldman, while the protesters demand "WHERE IS GEORGE BUSH?"
6:13 PM PT: They're playing the imperial march outside of Goldman.
6:19 PM PT: Protesters yell "GET A REAL JOB!" at Goldman employees leaving for the day.