Testing Oakland's cops
A year after the rubber bullets flew, dock protesters return to see whether police tactics have changed

By Liam O'Donoghue

Direct Action to Stop the War and community group People United for a Better Oakland (PUEBLO) will lead a march April 7 from Oakland Police Department headquarters to the Port of Oakland to protest alleged war profiteers and multinational shipping companies Stevedoring Services of America and American Presidents Line.

A similar protest a year ago (see "Peaceful Protest, Violent Response," 4/9/03) sparked the most violent police response to the antiwar movement in the Bay Area as officers fired tear gas, "Stinger" grenades, and rubber bullets into the crowd of 700 protesters and International Longshore and Warehouse Union workers and rammed them with motorcycles, resulting in 31 arrests and dozens of injuries. The unprovoked police attack prompted a slew of lawsuits, causing Chief Richard Word to announce a revision of the OPD's crowd-control policy, stressing that "We will do everything we can to communicate with protest leaders prior to planned, future protests." Yet so far, communication regarding the upcoming protest hasn't been promising.

After sending a letter March 21 detailing their intentions to Chief Word, the Oakland City Council, Mayor Jerry Brown, and several other city officials, protest organizer Jackie Thomason told the Bay Guardian March 27 that she still hadn't heard directly from either Capt. Rod Yee, the commanding officer involved with this and last year's protest, or Sgt. Rob Stewart, the lead negotiator. Stewart told us that police had sent e-mails to DASW's and PUEBLO's Web sites and attempted contact with undisclosed members. "We just want to facilitate free speech," Stewart said. "I'm confident that we'll be able to coordinate this event."

Protesters are unsure how police will act despite changes in the OPD's crowd-control policy, including suspension of the "BUMP" ("Basic Use of Motorcycle Push") technique (see "The BUMP Squad," 7/9/03), restricted use of beanbag rounds, elimination of wooden dowels, establishment of police-protester liaisons, numbered police helmets (for easy identification), and increased crowd-control training. Protester Web sites also feature a "call for a Padded Bloc," encouraging marchers to don "helmets, masks, shields (which can also double as signs), padding, body armor."

Jack Heyman, a business agent for ILWU and one of those facing misdemeanor charges ranging from resisting arrest to creating a public nuisance stemming from last year's protest, also is unsure what to expect.

Heyman, whose case has been postponed until April 22 on a technicality, said, "The Rider's lawsuit should have been enough to change police-accountability procedures, but if they do modify their behavior, it's only because of the pending litigation against the city."

A police-accountability rally takes place April 7, 4 p.m., Oakland Police Department headquarters, 455 Seventh St., Oakl. The march starts at 5 p.m., West Oakland BART, 1451 Seventh St., Oakl. For more information, go to www.actagainstwar.org or www.peopleunited.org. For protest information, see Alerts.