Occupier Police Blotter

We have gathered a listing of various new stories across the US about crimes or potentially dangerous situations related to the Occupy Movement.  Use this as a reflection what has happened and where this movement is going.

Murder and Suicide

Clashes between Occupy forces and local businesses (ironically a part of the 99%) led to a series of fist fights that escalated into a mob beating that escalated into the murder of a local businessman in Oakland today.  Mayor Jean Quan, who has been criticized by residents on both sides for issuing mixed signals about the local government’s willingness to tolerate the camp, issued a statement Thursday calling for the camp to shut down. “Tonight’s incident underscores the reason why the encampment must end. The risks are too great,” Quan said. “We need to return (police) resources to addressing violence throughout the city. It’s time for the encampment to end. Camping is a tactic, not a solution.”

A man living in a tent in the Occupy “protest” outside of City Hall in Burlington, Vermont shot and killed himself last night.  Deputy Chief Andi Higbee in Burlington told reporters the shooting raised questions about whether the protest would be allowed to continue. “Our responsibility is to keep the public safe. When there is a discharge of a firearm in a public place like this it’s good cause to be concerned, greatly concerned,” Higbee said.

Rape

Following the rape of two young women in Zuccotti Park, police have arrested a 26 year old Occupy protester that was working as part of the cooking staff for the movement.  According to police reports, the alleged incident took place Saturday when an 18-year-old woman from Massachusetts and another 17-year old female complained of sexual assault. Despite the multitude of coverage regarding allegations of police mistreatment, the Occupy movement worked very hard to suppress word of the attacks.

TB Outbreak

Early on in the Occupy movement it was clear that there had been little if any long term planning as health conditions rapidly declined.  This lack of planning has produced much feared results in Atlanta.  The Fulton County Health Department confirmed Wednesday that residents at the homeless shelter home to the occupy movement contracted the drug-resistant disease. WGCL reports that a health department spokeswoman said there is a possibility that both Occupy Atlanta protesters and the homeless people in the shelter may still be at risk since tuberculosis is contracted through air contact.

“Over the last three months were have been two persons who have resided in this facility who have been diagnosed with confirmed or suspected infectious tuberculosis (TB),” said Fulton County Services Director Matthew McKenna in a written statement to CBS Atlanta. “One of these persons was confirmed to have a strain of TB that is resistant to a single, standard medication used to treat this condition. All person(s) identified as positive have begun treatment and are being monitored to ensure that medication is taken as directed.”

Assault and General Violence

Protesters in Portland took ridiculous threats of violence to a new level when they threatened violence on a nearby business that ran out of pizza bread sticks.  According to Portland police: “Occupy Portland protesters became enraged when Pizza Schmizza ran out of bread sticks to accompany their entree order. They threatened to assault employees and vandalize the restaurant.”  The customers, cops noted, told a Pizza Schmizza employee, “Your job is bullshit, you know you work for a big corporation.”

In Los Angeles today, two women were arrested in different violent incidents that occurred when one of the women burned some one’s clothes as part of an ongoing fight at the Occupy camp on the South Lawn of City Hall and the second Occupy woman was arrested for attacking a man with a tent pole.  A third arrest occurred this morning when a man was stopped while attempting to pour flourescent paint on an historic marble fountain.

Back to Portland where a man was arrested yesterday for throwing a Molotov Cocktail at the World Trade Center building.

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#Occupy Eugene protester Rich Youngblood was choked and beaten to death at the camp this week.
Kristen Carpenter, Chair of Occupy Eugene’s Action Committee said they had hoped to prevent acts of violence, like the incident involving Youngblood… where he died.

Yesterday more than 30 people gathered for a vigil to remember 54-year-old Rich Youngblood of Florence who was murdered at the #Occupy Eugene camp.
Herald.net reported:

More than 30 people gathered for a vigil to remember a man who died after a fight in the Occupy Eugene camp.

Occupy Eugene leader Kristen Carpenter told KVAL-TV, “We’re sorry we couldn’t have stopped the violence in the system sooner.” She said the Friday night vigil was not just for 54-year-old Rich Youngblood of Florence but also for all victims of street violence.

Police said Youngblood was beaten and choked at the camp on Monday. Authorities are still investigating.

The City Council ordered the camp be disbanded.

With the Eugene beating death, the #occupy death toll stands at 9. This does not include the #Occupy Raleigh protester who shot up a food store injuring three people then committed suicide.
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FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- A Fort Collins beekeeper and occupy movement activist, accused of starting a fire causing $10 million in damage to an Old Town condominium and retail complex, now faces two additional charges of attempted first-degree murder.
Benjamin David Gilmore, 29, was initially charged in November with arson, burglary and criminal mischief. He pleaded not guilty.
The Larimer County District Attorney's Office has since added a second arson count, a second criminal mischief count and the two attempted murder charges, the Coloradoan newspaper reported Tuesday.

Gilmore was an early supporter of Occupy Fort Collins, which had set up camp a block away from the fire site. Days before his arrest, Gilmore addressed the City Council, asking that the city to be more accommodating to the movement.
Officials have released limited information regarding Gilmore's arrest because a judge has sealed all supporting documents in the case.
Prosecutors are expected to reveal evidence against Gilmore at a preliminary hearing scheduled for Friday morning, the newspaper said.
Gilmore is accused of starting a fire early Oct. 24 in a four-story apartment complex under construction. The fire spread to the occupied Penny Flats condominium and retail building next door.
The fire at Penny Flats caused heavy fire damage to the fourth floor and roof, and heavy smoke and water damage to the first, second and third floors, fire officials said.
If convicted on the two attempted murder counts, Gilmore would face eight to 24 years in prison, the Coloradoan reported. The two arson and two criminal mischief counts each carry penalties of four to 12 years in prison.
Gilmore is out of jail on a $250,000 bond.

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Occupier' Accused of Strangling Parents

They had dedicated their careers to helping others escape poverty, she as a physician assistant in a city-run clinic in the Tenderloin and he as a clinical psychologist for inmates in the San Francisco County Jail system.

But now, less than a decade after they adopted, their 15-year-old son stands accused of strangling both Poff, 50, and Kamin, 55, then hiding their bodies in the back of the family's PT Cruiser…

Co-workers said Poff and Kamin were having some arguments with their son, some of it having to do with him spending too much time in the Occupy Oakland encampment, but nothing that sounded beyond the scope of typical teenage rebelliousness.

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KILL THE POLICE’: COPS ARREST HUNDREDS OF OCCUPY OAKLAND PROTESTORS AFTER STREET CLASHES

(The Blaze/AP)– Police arrested hundreds of Occupy Oakland protesters last Saturday night for failing to disperse hours after officers used tear gas on over a thousand demonstrators who threw rocks and flares at them and tore down fences.

More help from other police agencies arrived on scene for the mass arrests, with busloads of Alameda County sheriff’s deputies arriving in the downtown area late Saturday night.

Here is video taken from the livestream that shows police warning protestors that mass arrests are about to begin (content warning for profanity):

http://youtu.be/DZo_PsRJTBY

Police Sgt. Christopher Bolton said the arrests came after protesters marched through downtown Oakland a little before 8 p.m. Saturday, with some of them entering a YMCA building.

At different moments on the livestream video, protestors could be heard yelling “Kill the police” and “F**k the police.”

This clip captures the moment on the livestream that police began the mass arrests:

Earlier in the day, police used tear gas and “flash” grenades on the group Saturday afternoon after some demonstrators threw rocks and other objects at them. Police said three officers were hurt, but they released no details.

This clip shows Occupy Oakland protestors in retreat after police opened fire with rubber bullets and tear gas:

Police said the group assembled at a downtown plaza Saturday morning, with demonstrators threatening to take over the vacant Henry Kaiser Convention Center. The group then marched through the streets, disrupting traffic. The crowd grew as the day wore on, with afternoon estimates ranging from about 1,000 to 2,000 people.

Oakland Police also deployed batons to deal with rowdy protestors, as seen below:

The protesters walked to the vacant convention center, where some started tearing down perimeter fencing and “destroying construction equipment” shortly before 3 p.m., police said.

Police said they issued a dispersal order and used smoke and tear gas after some protesters pelted them with bottles, rocks, burning flares and other objects.

Here police are seen on video firing rubber bullets into the crowd:

Most of the day-time arrests were made when protesters ignored orders to leave and assaulted officers, police said. By 4 p.m., the bulk of the crowd had left the convention center and headed back downtown.

The demonstration comes after Occupy protesters said earlier this week that they planned to move into a vacant building and turn it into a social center and political hub. They also threatened to try to shut down the port, occupy the airport and take over City Hall.

In a statement Friday, Oakland City Administrator Deanna Santana said the city would not be “bullied by threats of violence or illegal activity.”

Interim police Chief Howard Jordan also warned that officers would arrest those carrying out illegal actions.

The Associated Press has aerial footage of the protest march in daytime:

Oakland officials said Friday that since the Occupy Oakland encampment was first established in late October, police have arrested about 300 people.

The national Occupy Wall Street movement, which denounces corporate excess and economic inequality, began in New York City in the fall but has been largely dormant lately.

Oakland, New York and Los Angeles were among the cities with the largest and most vocal Occupy protests early on. The demonstrations ebbed after those cities used force to move out hundreds of demonstrators who had set up tent cities.

In Oakland, the police department received heavy criticism for using force to break up earlier protests. Among the critics was Mayor Jean Quan, who said she wasn‘t briefed on the department’s plans. Earlier this month, a court-appointed monitor submitted a report to a federal judge that included “serious concerns” about the department’s handling of the Occupy protests.

In a statement Friday, Oakland City Administrator Deanna Santana said the city would not be “bullied by threats of violence or illegal activity.”

Interim police Chief Howard Jordan also warned that officers would arrest those carrying out illegal actions.

The Occupy Wall Street movement, which denounces corporate excess and economic inequality, began in New York City in the fall but has been largely dormant lately.

Oakland, New York and Los Angeles were among the cities with the largest and most vocal Occupy protests early on. The demonstrations ebbed after those cities used force to move out hundreds of demonstrators who had set up tent cities.

In Oakland, the police department received heavy criticism for using force to break up earlier protests. Among the critics was the mayor, who said she wasn’t briefed on the department’s plans.”

Earlier in the day, protestors clashed with police who used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse them. You can see a series of video clips below taken from the Occupiers’ livestream camera during the riot: