Two years less one week later, Scott Olsen was sitting next to me having a beer and discussing the state of his lawsuit. Hours before that he, a hundred others, and I had watched yet one more time the infamous video clip (2:20)
"What's your name! What's your name! Shit!"
It was embedded in a new documentary entitled "The Battle for Oscar Grant Plaza." shown at a benefit at the Parkway Theatre on Saturday, October 19th.
Scott Campbell, shot and severely wounded by a rubber bullet on November 2nd, 2011, also watched himself on the screen. A bit later at the benefit he would say "I've grown accustomed to watching myself get shot."
Others in the room watched themselves get beaten, or watched people they knew or had come to know get attacked by the Oakland Police. A younger woman described the filth and barbaric treatment she and her companions suffered in Santa Rita Jail after being arrested on O25.
Two years later to the day of Scott Olsen's near death by a lead-filled bean-bag round fired from a shotgun, the Alameda County Sheriff's Department, Oakland Police, and the Marriott Hotel will welcome militarized police units from around the globe. They will be conducting training exercises all weekend in Alameda County, taking place within the context of "Urban Shield." On Friday their superiors will be surveying the latest in "less lethal" weapons and surveillance equipment at the Urban Shield trade show at the Marriott Convention Center.
For all these thugs coming to Oakland care, Olsen's, Campbell's and Kayvan Sebeghi's assaults might as well never have happened. It matters not to them that Alan Blueford was executed by an OPD officer suffering from PTSD from being deployed in a war zone, or that Gary King was murdered by a man who was part of a team that received "awards" from Urban Shield training exercises - and who has been involved in the deaths of others on Oakland's streets. Those that do such deeds are extolled by their associates, not brought to justice.
But there are some in Oaktown that do care. And this year, this deification of the warrior cop will not go unnoticed, or unchallenged. A coalition of groups opposing Urban Shield and Occupy Oakland have created a day of action and resistance against the glorification of police violence and the militarization of what should be peace officers, not urban warriors.
Schedule of activities.
9:00 AM: Pickets begin at the Marriott Hotel.
11:00 AM: Press conference.
12:00 noon: Lunch! Chinatown is close by...
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM. Picketing and protesting at the Marriott.
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM. Rally & Speakout. Vigil for those killed by police violence.
6:00 PM: March to Oscar Grant Plaza.
6:30: Food! Roast suckling pig & sides.
Courtesy of Occupy Oakland peeps.
While supplies last.
Reunions, chitchat and discussions.
7:00 PM: Occupy Oakland General Assembly resolutions.
7:30: Movies. "The Battle for Oscar Grant Plaza." An excellent documentary about the events of October 25th, 2011 and November 2nd, 2011.
Other shorts.
More info on Facing Urban Shield here.
The organizers understand that Urban Shield cannot be terminated with extreme prejudice this year. But with enough awareness and activism, this blight can be banished next year from a city with more than enough violence of its own to deal with. The glorification of weaponry, violence and mass intimidation that is Urban Shield has no place in this city, any more than the glorification of drive by shootings, murder and sexual assasult on our streets does.
Come out on October 25th, help us take a stand. The Marriott is located at 11th & Broadway in downtown Oakland.
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Here's a small subset of listings from vendors that will be displaying at Urban Shield:
LENCO ARMORED VEHICLES
Lenco Armored Vehicles - The Way SWAT Does Business
Phone Number: 413-443-7359 Website: Lenco Armored Vehicles
Email: JMassery@LencoArmor.com
RAP4
RAP4 "As Real As It Gets"
RAP4 is a premier supplier and manufacture of less lethal equipment
and training aid devices. RAP4 complete training solution is safe and
cost effective at $0.02 per shot, which equates to more trigger time
for effective training results.
Phone Number: 408-434-0434 Website: RAP4 Email: george@rap4.com
RECON ROBOTICS
ReconRobotics is the world leader in tactical, micro-robot systems.
Worldwide, nearly 3,600 of the company's robots have been deployed by
the U.S. military and international friendly forces, federal, state
and local law enforcement agencies, bomb squads and fire/rescue teams.
Phone Number: 612-237-2140 Website: Recon Robotics
Email: brett.schendel@reconrobotics.com
SB TACTICAL
The future of training is here! With SBTactical you will replicate,
not simulate, real world scenarios. Realistic training w/cutting edge
technology.
Phone Number: 805-252-7622 Website: SBTactical Email: toddmanes@sbtactical.com
THE ARMORED GROUP, LLC
TAG is redefining the the tactical vehicle industry by offering full
lines of armored and nonarmored law enforcement / tactical vehicles.
Visit our Websites to see more information on our revolutionary
B.A.T.T. family of armored rescue vehicles and our full line of law
enforcement/tactical specialty vehicles.
Phone Number: 817-291-4956 Website: The Armored Group, LLC
Email: Jeremy@armoredcars.com
THE COUNTER TERRORIST MAGAZINE, AN SSI PUBLICATION
Journal for Law Enforcement, Intelligence & Special Operations Professionals.
See why The Counter Terrorist is already the favorite journal for many
of your teammates.
Phone Number: 786-573-3999 Website: The Counter Terrorist Magazine
Email: subscriptions@thecounterterroristmag.com
X TACTICAL
We are a small business owned and run by a Army Infantry Veteran, and
a gun loving friend of his.
If you are Military or Law Enforcement and you need something that's
hard to find, let us know, we'll work our asses off to find that item
you need so you can "Charlie Mike".
Phone Number: 541-221-1716 Website: X Tactical Email: adam@xtactical.us