Iran hikers speak at Occupy Oakland protest
OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) --
Just before 5 p.m. Monday police were called in after the anti-corporate protest known as Occupy Oakland got out of hand.
Some protesters squared off with police in front of City Hall. It all started when a demonstrator's dog nipped at a TV reporter and there were some words exchanged and the reporter threatened to call police. Within minutes, police were on the scene and the crowd begun shouting them down. The police began gathering on the sidewalk and protesters began linking arms and chanting "Go away, go away."
After a short discussion among the crowd chanting and screaming, the police officers decided to disband.
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Story: SF protesters hold 'Occupy Wall St' solidarity march Around 5:20 p.m. all three of the U.C. Berkeley graduates who were freed from Iran made their first public appearance on the West Coast in Oakland. Sarah Shourd, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, spoke to the crowd at the Occupy Oakland demonstration at Frank Ogawa Plaza.
The hikers' impending visit is not exactly the buzz around the camp. In fact, we found more than a few in Oakland who have no idea who they are. That said, others feel like the hikers' visit and all they've been through in many ways symbolizes what this movement is all about.
Nearly a month after their release from an Iranian prison, Fattal and Bauer have returned to the Bay Area. Their first stop was at Occupy Oakland -- the week-long demonstration camp at Frank Ogawa Plaza.
"I think it says a lot about their passion to come back here and to make a statement," said demonstrator Jason Lane.
Fattal and Bauer were joined by Sarah Shourd. All three were students at UC Berkeley and activists that supported such movements there as the tree-sitter protest which was an effort to save a grove of trees in the way of the university's efforts to build a new athletic facility.
Currently in Oakland, the message is less precise. Amid the sea of tents that make up Occupy Oakland, there is a steady stream of demands from the participants.
"We want to focus on provoking change in areas like keeping public libraries open. They've closed five public libraries. We want to keep our public schools open. We want to do away with curfews and gang injunctions," said Darren Stiplin from Occupy Oakland.
"I'm talking in terms of the rich getting richer and everybody else getting poorer. I'm talking about the destruction of the environment, global warming... all of that," said demonstrator John Reimann.
On Monday, the city sent its own message to a group that has set no timetable for leaving. The city administrator distributed a memo asking the protesters to stop smoking, including marijuana, dismantle structures, stop using city power and to clean up after and police themselves to help keep the costs of this massive display to a minimum.
"To the extent that there are costs, the city of Oakland is paying for it. So it's taking more money from our very limited resources, which is not to say that I disagree with what the protestors are doing, but it's important that we spend as little as we can," said Oakland City Councilmember Pat Kernighan.
City officials won't put a dollar figure on it, but this event will clearly cost them some money. City crews have already had to clean up spray-painted graffiti, portions of the lawn may have to be replaced and there have been extra police patrols. Beyond that, there are a couple of wooden structures set up, but the city has given the protesters until Monday evening to take those down or the city will have to.
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/east_bay&id=8395443&rss=rss-kgo-article-8395443
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