2011 Oakland general strike
Encyclopedia
The Oakland General Strike of 2011 was a general strike
held in Oakland, California on November 2, 2011 as part of the larger Occupy Oakland
movement.
to participate in rallies, marches, and teach-ins designed to empower citizens and to draw attention to economic inequity and corporate greed. The last general strike in the United States was in Oakland in 1946. Local unions expressed solidarity for the strike
including Oakland's largest union, Service Employees International Union
Local 1021, Oakland Education Association, International Longshore and Warehouse Union
Local 10, and United Brotherhood of Carpenters
. While none of the unions were officially on strike, many urged their members to take a personal day, vacation day or to participate after work.
A flatbed truck with a sound system was parked in the middle of the intersection of 14th Street and Broadway and used as a make-shift stage. The morning's rally began at 9 a.m. and a range of people addressed the audience including the scholar/activist Angela Davis
and musician Boots Riley
. Live musical performances occurred simultaneously in the plaza amphitheater including local hip hop group BRWN BFLO
.
While most of the day-time activities were peaceful, Oakland Police chief Howard Jordan reported that a small group of "anarchists" vandalized a Whole Foods
storefront, and broke windows and ATM
s of Bank of America
and Wells Fargo
banks in the afternoon. Many buildings were vandalized, including some businesses that displayed signs of support for the general strike. After the incidents of vandalism, members of Occupy Oakland guarded local businesses, boarded up broken windows, and cleaned graffiti caused by the small group of protesters utilizing black bloc
tactics. Oakland mayor Jean Quan
described these protesters as "a small and isolated group" that "shouldn't mar the overall impact of the demonstration and the fact that people in the 99 percent movement demonstrated peacefully and, for the most part, were productive and very peaceful."
, the fifth busiest port in the United States, in two separate groups leaving the plaza at 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm. The number of protesters marching to the port has not been confirmed. While police estimate 7,000 people marched, local organizers and participants put the number somewhere between 20,000 and 100,000. As protesters completely filled Middle Harbor Road, the main road leading to the port, all truck traffic entering or exiting the port was halted. Port operations were "effectively shut down" a couple hours later.
and released, angering witnesses who called for the driver's arrest. The two protesters suffered leg and ankle injuries and were taken to Highland Hospital.
On November 11, the two victims held a press conference alleging that the incident was a criminal act and questioned why the Oakland Police Department had not prosecuted the driver. Victims said that nine days after the incident, they still had not been contacted by police. Lance Laverdure told press that, "We want this person arrested for the attempted murder of myself and Margaret".
who served in the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan
, was hit numerous times by a police officer with a baton then arrested on the evening of November 2. Sabeghi was charged with resisting arrest and remaining at the scene of a riot. While in police custody, Sabeghi complained of severe pain and asked for medical treatment but was transferred to Highland Hospital
14-18 hours after his arrest. Sabeghi underwent emergency surgery for a ruptured spleen and remained in the intensive care unit.
The organization Iraq Veterans Against the War
issued a statement on November 4 stating, "police struck Sabeghi with nightsticks on his hands, shoulders, ribs and back, and that in addition to a lacerated spleen
he suffered from internal bleeding" , a description that is corroborated by the video made available on November 18. The Oakland Police Department is "investigating the incident."
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
held in Oakland, California on November 2, 2011 as part of the larger Occupy Oakland
Occupy Oakland
Occupy Oakland is a series of demonstrations including the occupation of public spaces that began in downtown Oakland at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza in front of Oakland City Hall in Oakland, California on October 10, 2011. It is allied with the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York City and is one of...
movement.
General strike
Thousands of protesters gathered at Frank H. Ogawa PlazaFrank H. Ogawa Plaza
Frank H. Ogawa Plaza is a historic location in the heart of downtown Oakland, California.-Location and elements:Frank H. Ogawa Plaza is located where Telegraph and San Pablo Avenues converge with Broadway and 14th Street. The west side of the plaza is the site of Oakland City Hall and Oakland...
to participate in rallies, marches, and teach-ins designed to empower citizens and to draw attention to economic inequity and corporate greed. The last general strike in the United States was in Oakland in 1946. Local unions expressed solidarity for the strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
including Oakland's largest union, Service Employees International Union
Service Employees International Union
Service Employees International Union is a labor union representing about 1.8 million workers in over 100 occupations in the United States , and Canada...
Local 1021, Oakland Education Association, International Longshore and Warehouse Union
International Longshore and Warehouse Union
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union is a labor union which primarily represents dock workers on the West Coast of the United States, Hawaii and Alaska, and in British Columbia, Canada. It also represents hotel workers in Hawaii, cannery workers in Alaska, warehouse workers throughout...
Local 10, and United Brotherhood of Carpenters
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America is one of the largest building trades union in the United States. One of the unions that formed the American Federation of Labor in 1886, it left the AFL-CIO in 2001.-Early years:...
. While none of the unions were officially on strike, many urged their members to take a personal day, vacation day or to participate after work.
A flatbed truck with a sound system was parked in the middle of the intersection of 14th Street and Broadway and used as a make-shift stage. The morning's rally began at 9 a.m. and a range of people addressed the audience including the scholar/activist Angela Davis
Angela Davis
Angela Davis is an American political activist, scholar, and author. Davis was most politically active during the late 1960s through the 1970s and was associated with the Communist Party USA, the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Panther Party...
and musician Boots Riley
Boots Riley
Boots Riley is an American musician, vocalist, writer, and public speaker most known for being the front man and producer of The Coup as well as the front man for Street Sweeper Social Club.-Biography:...
. Live musical performances occurred simultaneously in the plaza amphitheater including local hip hop group BRWN BFLO
BRWN BFLO
BRWN BFLO are a Chicano hip hop foursome from The San Francisco Bay Area, California. The group consists of MCs Big Dan , Giant , Somos One and Producer Jacinto .-Origin:...
.
While most of the day-time activities were peaceful, Oakland Police chief Howard Jordan reported that a small group of "anarchists" vandalized a Whole Foods
Whole foods
Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible, before being consumed. Whole foods typically do not contain added ingredients, such as salt, carbohydrates, or fat. Examples of whole foods include unpolished grains, beans, fruits, vegetables...
storefront, and broke windows and ATM
ATM
-In science and technology:*Adobe Type Manager, typeface management software from Adobe Systems Allocated*Air traffic management, synonym for air traffic control*Alternating Turing machine, model of computation used in theoretical computer science...
s of Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
and Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
banks in the afternoon. Many buildings were vandalized, including some businesses that displayed signs of support for the general strike. After the incidents of vandalism, members of Occupy Oakland guarded local businesses, boarded up broken windows, and cleaned graffiti caused by the small group of protesters utilizing black bloc
Black bloc
A black bloc is a tactic for protests and marches, whereby individuals wear black clothing, scarves, ski masks, motorcycle helmets with padding, or other face-concealing items...
tactics. Oakland mayor Jean Quan
Jean Quan
Jean Quan is the Democratic mayor of Oakland, California. She previously served as City Council member for Oakland's 4th District...
described these protesters as "a small and isolated group" that "shouldn't mar the overall impact of the demonstration and the fact that people in the 99 percent movement demonstrated peacefully and, for the most part, were productive and very peaceful."
March to the Port of Oakland
Thousands of protesters marched from Frank Ogawa Plaza to the Port of OaklandPort of Oakland
The Port of Oakland was the first major port on the Pacific Coast of the United States to build terminals for container ships. It is now the fifth busiest container port in the United States, behind Long Beach, Los Angeles, Newark, and Savannah...
, the fifth busiest port in the United States, in two separate groups leaving the plaza at 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm. The number of protesters marching to the port has not been confirmed. While police estimate 7,000 people marched, local organizers and participants put the number somewhere between 20,000 and 100,000. As protesters completely filled Middle Harbor Road, the main road leading to the port, all truck traffic entering or exiting the port was halted. Port operations were "effectively shut down" a couple hours later.
Protesters injured by car
During the evening march to the port, the driver of a silver Mercedes-Benz was headed south on 11th Street when he encountered a stream of protesters walking along Broadway. Cell phone video footage shows the driver of the Mercedes attempting to drive through the intersection as the march is happening prompting one protester, Lance Laverdure, to jump in front of the car and bang on the hood. The driver hit the gas and both Laverdure and a nearby protester Margaret So were hit by the car and sustained leg and ankle injuries. Nearby witnesses then surrounded the car as emergency personnel attended to the protesters. The driver was questioned by BART PoliceBART Police
The BART Police Department is the police force of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District .The BART Police Department has more than 296 police personnel, of which 206 are sworn peace officers. BART Police officers derive their powers of arrest from Section 830.33 P.C...
and released, angering witnesses who called for the driver's arrest. The two protesters suffered leg and ankle injuries and were taken to Highland Hospital.
On November 11, the two victims held a press conference alleging that the incident was a criminal act and questioned why the Oakland Police Department had not prosecuted the driver. Victims said that nine days after the incident, they still had not been contacted by police. Lance Laverdure told press that, "We want this person arrested for the attempted murder of myself and Margaret".
Night of November 2
Occupation of vacant building
Later in the evening, a group of protesters took over a vacant building that once served as the headquarters of the Traveler's Aid Society, a non-profit organization that provided services to the local homeless population. Police soon arrived to break up the protesters gathered outside of the building. Some protesters fled while others set a barricade on fire. Police used teargas and flash bangs to try to clear protesters. Clashes continued past midnight. 103 people were arrested.Scott Campbell shooting
Shortly before 1 a.m., Oakland resident Scott Campbell was shot by police using a less-lethal round while he was filming a stationary line of police in riot gear. The apparently-unprovoked shooting was documented by the resulting point-of-view video from Campbell's own camera. Geoffrey Alpert, a criminal justice professor from the University of South Carolina said watching a video of the incident left him "astonished, amazed and embarrassed" and that "unless there's something we don't know, that's one of the most outrageous uses of a firearm that I've ever seen."Kayvan Sabeghi beating
Kayvan Sabeghi, a local business owner and former U.S. Army RangerUnited States Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
who served in the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
, was hit numerous times by a police officer with a baton then arrested on the evening of November 2. Sabeghi was charged with resisting arrest and remaining at the scene of a riot. While in police custody, Sabeghi complained of severe pain and asked for medical treatment but was transferred to Highland Hospital
Highland Hospital (Oakland, California)
Highland Hospital is a public hospital located in Alameda County, Oakland, California. It is operated by the Alameda County Medical Center.It is a Level II trauma center.- History :-External links:*...
14-18 hours after his arrest. Sabeghi underwent emergency surgery for a ruptured spleen and remained in the intensive care unit.
The organization Iraq Veterans Against the War
Iraq Veterans Against the War
Iraq Veterans Against the War is an advocacy group of active-duty United States military personnel, Iraq War veterans, Afghanistan War veterans, and other veterans who have served since the September 11, 2001 attacks who are opposed to the U.S. occupation of Iraq...
issued a statement on November 4 stating, "police struck Sabeghi with nightsticks on his hands, shoulders, ribs and back, and that in addition to a lacerated spleen
Spleen
The spleen is an organ found in virtually all vertebrate animals with important roles in regard to red blood cells and the immune system. In humans, it is located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. It removes old red blood cells and holds a reserve of blood in case of hemorrhagic shock...
he suffered from internal bleeding" , a description that is corroborated by the video made available on November 18. The Oakland Police Department is "investigating the incident."