Police tear gas Occupy Oakland Protesters: Auckland - Police fired tear gas at least five times Tuesday night to a crowd of several hundred protesters supporting the Movement, which tried unsuccessfully to return to camp outside Oakland City Hall, that the officers were removed more than 12 hours earlier.
Police gave repeated warnings to disperse the protesters from entering Frank Ogawa Plaza at 14th Street and Broadway before firing several tear gas canisters into the crowd at about 7:45 pm police announced over the loudspeaker that those who refused to leave may be aimed at “chemicals ".
The protesters scattered in both directions on Broadway, as a tear gas canister and a few flash-bang grenade exploded. Regrouping, the protesters tried to help each other and offer each other eye drops.
One wounded woman, which others said was injured from the canister, carried away two of the protesters.
One protester, 35-year-old Jerry Smith, said the tear gas rolled up and sprayed in the face.
"I felt they meant business, but people will not be intimidated," Smith said. "We can do this peacefully, but still not back down."
Police forcibly dispersed the crowd with tear gas again about 9:30 pm when protesters began throwing objects at them. As the protesters dispersed, police shut down Broadway between 13th and 16th Streets.
A few minutes later the protesters regrouped at the 15th street entrance to the square. The protesters began throwing objects again. Police responded by firing tear more canisters of gas.
The protesters were trying to make good on a vow to return the camp, which occupy Oakland activists have lived for 15 days until police evicted them Tuesday morning.
In the evening the protest began about 5:00 pm when about 400 people began marching from the main library at 14th Street and Madison in the direction of the area, which police had barricaded them and the city authorities have announced will be closed for at least several days.
"We're going to go out and get back what is ours, what we call Oscar Grant Plaza and what they call the mayor's office," said protester Kristof Lopaur, referring to an unarmed man shot by BART police officer in January 2009.
At the beginning of the scene outside City Hall largely peaceful, but it was a different story a few blocks west of Washington Street.
Employees in riot gear hemmed in protesters at about 6 pm and tried to arrest one man, as about 50 more, surrounded them, shouting, "Let him go, let him go."
The protesters threw red paint and turquoise with riot officers. Some brought the crowd to chant: "That's why we call you pigs."
Others asked the agitators to be peaceful and get back on the march, and some protesters tried to fight with the police and had batons and kicking back.
Interim Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan said that his staff had no choice but to respond with tear gas. The crowd at its peak had grown to more than 1000 at about 8:30 pm, and two were injured by chemicals and paint thrown at them.
"We felt that the deployment of gas was necessary to protect our employees," he said at a news conference.
Although police do not provide a number of arrests in the demonstration on Tuesday night, he said five people involved with the Movement, were arrested earlier, after a morning raid.
Some of the protesters, who avoided conflict and wanted to show their support for the Movement of Wall Street was unhappy with violent turn.
"They did not have to police in this situation," said Helen Walker, 46, a nurse from Albany. “It was quite provoked, and if I could, I would stop these idiots from throwing paint."
Police gave repeated warnings to disperse the protesters from entering Frank Ogawa Plaza at 14th Street and Broadway before firing several tear gas canisters into the crowd at about 7:45 pm police announced over the loudspeaker that those who refused to leave may be aimed at “chemicals ".
The protesters scattered in both directions on Broadway, as a tear gas canister and a few flash-bang grenade exploded. Regrouping, the protesters tried to help each other and offer each other eye drops.
One wounded woman, which others said was injured from the canister, carried away two of the protesters.
One protester, 35-year-old Jerry Smith, said the tear gas rolled up and sprayed in the face.
"I felt they meant business, but people will not be intimidated," Smith said. "We can do this peacefully, but still not back down."
Police forcibly dispersed the crowd with tear gas again about 9:30 pm when protesters began throwing objects at them. As the protesters dispersed, police shut down Broadway between 13th and 16th Streets.
A few minutes later the protesters regrouped at the 15th street entrance to the square. The protesters began throwing objects again. Police responded by firing tear more canisters of gas.
The protesters were trying to make good on a vow to return the camp, which occupy Oakland activists have lived for 15 days until police evicted them Tuesday morning.
In the evening the protest began about 5:00 pm when about 400 people began marching from the main library at 14th Street and Madison in the direction of the area, which police had barricaded them and the city authorities have announced will be closed for at least several days.
"We're going to go out and get back what is ours, what we call Oscar Grant Plaza and what they call the mayor's office," said protester Kristof Lopaur, referring to an unarmed man shot by BART police officer in January 2009.
At the beginning of the scene outside City Hall largely peaceful, but it was a different story a few blocks west of Washington Street.
Employees in riot gear hemmed in protesters at about 6 pm and tried to arrest one man, as about 50 more, surrounded them, shouting, "Let him go, let him go."
The protesters threw red paint and turquoise with riot officers. Some brought the crowd to chant: "That's why we call you pigs."
Others asked the agitators to be peaceful and get back on the march, and some protesters tried to fight with the police and had batons and kicking back.
Interim Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan said that his staff had no choice but to respond with tear gas. The crowd at its peak had grown to more than 1000 at about 8:30 pm, and two were injured by chemicals and paint thrown at them.
"We felt that the deployment of gas was necessary to protect our employees," he said at a news conference.
Although police do not provide a number of arrests in the demonstration on Tuesday night, he said five people involved with the Movement, were arrested earlier, after a morning raid.
Some of the protesters, who avoided conflict and wanted to show their support for the Movement of Wall Street was unhappy with violent turn.
"They did not have to police in this situation," said Helen Walker, 46, a nurse from Albany. “It was quite provoked, and if I could, I would stop these idiots from throwing paint."
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