As many as two-hundred Occupy protesters convened at noon for a General Assembly meeting outside the Federal Reserve Bank in downtown San Francisco following an early morning police raid on the OccupySF encampment at Justin Herman Plaza. Until today, OccupySF was the longest standing Occupy encampment in the US. Photos by Luke Thomas.
By Kat Anderson
December 7, 2011
Under orders from San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, SFPD surrounded Justin Herman Plaza at approximately 1:30am this morning in what one Occupy activist described as a “blitzkrieg,” issued a five-minute warning to leave the premises, and then moved in with lightening speed. Personal property was confiscated and loaded onto DPW trucks, those who did not disappear were detained, put in plastic cuffs and transported to 850 Bryant. As many as 70 protesters were arrested.
Michael Goldman, 40, a software programmer from Pensylvannia, has been encamped at OccupySF since October 14. Goldman was part of the round-up. While in police custody, he fell down, breaking his glasses and injuring his eye. First aid was offered, but Goldman took himself to the hospital after he was released. He was detained but not arrested according to his “certificate of release.”
“Since I was physically transported I find it kind of dubious that I wasn’t arrested,” Goldman said.
Michael Goldman, 40, was injured while in custody at 850 Bryant.
When asked how Occupy can operate without leaders, Goldman replied, “I think we’re not so much as leaderless as leaderful. Anybody that wants to do anything, does it, and gets other people to do it with them. I call it consensus-based autonomous action. There’s a lot of different people doing different things right now. There are occupations all over the city, perhaps dozens, maybe even hundreds of them and not all of them are publicly disclosed. Some are indoor because people are trying to find spaces for the winter and there’s more unoccupied housing than there are homeless people so it’s an important thing that people are trying to draw attention to, that we need to have housing for people.”
Presently, Justin Herman Plaza is surrounded by about 30 SFPD officers in riot gear. Not one remnant of the encampment exists. The area is cordoned off and posted with “Park closed for renovation” signs.
SFPD occupied Justin Herman Plaza after dismantling the OccupySF encampment.
SFPD officers said they were wearing their riot helmets "because it's cold out here."
At noon today, activists held General Assembly in front of the Federal Reserve. Despite the ransacking of the encampment, spirits were high, and speakers were defiant. Activists made the point that there are several alternative locations for OccupySF already. A new focus on foreclosures is leading to the occupation of vacant bank-owned houses. Petitions were being circulated in support of “Josephine,” who is being evicted by Bank of America.
Another OccupySF activist, Majick, reported that last night 7 members of the Board of Supervisors signed “a support for a moratorium on foreclosures during the holiday season.” “Let’s hold them to it and make that happen,” she shouted. According to Majick, the next action will be this Saturday at 3 pm – a march for human rights, including a protest of the human rights violations that occurred when the police swept the occupiers of Justin Herman Plaza.
It was also noted during today’s General Assembly that the students of City College of San Francisco commenced their own occupation today. They will march to the Federal Reserve in solidarity with everyone evicted from Justin Herman Plaza and ask that people join them and march back to CCSF and set up tents.
A larger action, being called the West Coast Port Blockade, is currently in the works as well. On Monday, December 12, ports in Anchorage, Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, Long Beach, San Diego, Los Angeles and Oakland will be visited by Occupy activists. In solidarity with this action, OccupyDenver and OccupyPhoenix will endeavor to shut down Walmart distribution centers while ILWU workers in Longview, where an international grain distributor is located, will protest union busting.
Tim Paulson, executive director of the San Francisco Labor Council, and Ted Gulickson of the Tenants’ Union, were both present at the General Assembly. Paulson commented to FCJ: “Despite what happened last night at Justin Herman Plaza, Occupy San Francisco is going to continue into its next stage. We’re very proud that this was the longest Occupy encampment in a metropolitan area to stay together and we believe that because of the faith, labor and community groups that are supporting Occupy San Francisco – this helped the encampment stay together as long as it did.”
Paulson continued, “We’re undeterred as is Occupy about what happened with the raid because it’s not about a location, it’s about the issues. It’s about social security, it’s about jobs, it’s about people getting thrown out of their houses – and we’re looking forward to the next phase of Occupy as we move into the year 2012 when all the issues will confront us. We are officially, both morally, philosophically and materially in support of Occupy San Francisco. We support Occupy San Francisco and we take their lead. This is extremely exciting to have – this movement – going on throughout the United States. These are same issues as labor, the same issues of community.”
“No comment,” Paulson responded when asked if labor will support the West Coast Port Blockade. This writer heard a news report last night that Oakland port workers, while they sympathize with the issues of Occupy, face difficulties that jeopardize their jobs when shutdowns occur. One worker even pleaded, “Hope they don’t do it.”
Paulson stated in General Assembly, “We will support OccupySF in whatever phases you choose to go.”
San Francisco Labor Council Executive Director Tim Paulson.
Some confusion ensued as one activist co-opted the General Assembly and exhorted the crowd to meet in Market Street. Dozens of people poured onto Market Street, blocking traffic. Motorcycle cops immediately moved in south of the crowd and two columns of police in riot gear lined up north of the crowd. The General Assembly was allowed to continue meeting there for about 20 minutes, and then was dispersed. People then re-assembled in front of the Federal Reserve and at Justin Herman Plaza as the afternoon wore on.
OccupySF protesters spilled onto Market Street.
“Majick” encouraged people to attend tonight’s Police Commission meeting to object to “the obscene use of human beings against other human beings,” in the eviction of OccupySF residents. The meeting is scheduled for 5:30 pm in Room 400 of City Hall.
The Hunger Site
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