Yesterday I wrote about the harsh police actions against the occupiers- as well as the aftermath. The situation continues to develop, and the civic center has been reoccupied. Follow me across the jump for an update and my take on why this is relevant.
So yesterday- I basically wrote about the police action and what the police left behind. The police came into the civic center in the middle of the night in very large numbers, with full riot gear. They were selective in what they did/who they arrested- going right for the media tent and those they saw as coordinators/leaders. Those that were there said that great violence was used, most notably against young females. The police left behind more than 100 officers as I was there in the morning through mid day. They also left behind some very suspicious looking stains on the concrete.
In my diary yesterday, stolen water most correctly suggested that the timing of the raid was no accident. This was being carried out prior to the Friday night arrival of nurses, union members, and veterans for a "sleepover" event. This appears to have been part of a calculated effort to prevent the movement from expanding.
Based on further developments, it is clear that the crackdown has now failed. I was following reports from the civic center last night. Hundreds of people showed up. Next it was reported that 600 people were in the civic center, then that the police were trying to seal the entrances. It must have failed because later it was claimed that the numbers had swelled to perhaps 1000, and that around 200 people ended up staying the night. The Occupy San Diego facebook page claims that 1800 were at the civic center:
Occupy San Diego
Last night:
We were joined in soldarity at Civic Center with over 1800 people to include:
Labor council members and president of the Labor Council
Various labor unions, including Teamsters, National Nurses United
Critical Mass bicycle riders in costumes
Veterans For Peace and IVAW (Iraq Veterans Against the War) San Diego chapter
San Diego Chaplin's Service
Activist San Diego
Radical Women of the Peace And Freedom Party
Yesterday the police had claimed that NO overnight camping would be allowed. Information coming in via social media is not completely clear. However, it seems that the police did attempt to arrest people for sleeping, but the nurses and union members were able to step in and get the police to back down. I would chalk this up as a victory for the occupiers and a failure for those seeking to end it.
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And here is a photo of one of the union members I have shamelessly lifted from the Occupy San Diego Facebook page.
We sure need the police to protect us from an assembly of people such as this![/snark]