deficit – Texas State: Occupied

Police raid Occupy Oakland encampment

By Joshua Christopher Harvey

On Tuesday, October 25th Occupy Oakland protestors united in a show of solidarity against the razing of their camp the night before by The Oakland Police Department. The protestors crime was establishing a public forum on public land to highlight critical public issues about the nation’s financial crisis, the consolidation of wealth and power, and the ability of citizens to meaningfully participate in the democratic process. Among those involved was Scott Olsen, a 24-year old former Marine, two-time Iraq war veteran, and member of Iraq Veterans Against the War.

Scott had returned from his military service in 2010 to a nation in which, as of January of this year, the unemployment rate among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans stood at 15% nationwide. For California veterans aged 18 to 24 the percentage is even more staggering – 25% unemployed. Factor in disability and that percentage almost doubles to 47%. Despite all the numbers against him Scott secured a job as a systems network administrator in Daly, California. According to Keith Shannon, who deployed with Scott to Iraq, “Scott was marching with the 99% because he felt corporations and banks had too much control over our government, and that they weren’t being held accountable for their role in the economic downturn, which caused so many people to lose their jobs and their homes.” Indeed, unemployment aside, California, like the rest of the country, has been in a financial meltdown since 2008. In 2009, the state of California issued IOUs to state agents. It was the second time since the Great Depression that California has issued IOUs, known as warrants, to its state employees. About one in every 239 homes is foreclosed on in California as of July of this year. So it was not question for Scott and many of his fellow veterans to join their fellow citizens in drawing attentions to the issues they faced and utilizing their First Amendment rights to assemble peacefully and work towards solutions.

Scott Olsen

It was no question for Scott Olsen and his fellow protesters to reoccupy the space at the Oakland Library only to be met with heavily armed riot police and their tear gas, rubber bullets and flashbang grenades. No sympathy was shown by a police department that in 2009 was facing 100 lay-offs due to a city budget deficit of $83 million. Not to mention cuts and reductions in retirement pay. But their unrestrained brutality resulted in a two-time veteran of Iraq being hit in the head with a tear gas canister which was followed by a flashbang grenade when a group of fellow citizens tried to lift his unconscious body. He now has a fractured skull and a swelling brain and remains unconscious in critical condition at Oakland’s Highland Hospital.

Scott Olsen being carried to the hospital after being knocked unconscious by both a tear gas canister and flashbang grenade.

Last night, Occupy Austin along with representatives Matthew Molnar, Lindsey Huckaby, Joshua Christopher Harvey, Rex Pape and Clifton MacAlbrecht of Occupy Texas State united with other occupy movements across the country in a coordinated demonstration with the city of Oakland. In Austin, about two hundred Occupy Austin protestors gathered with candles and marched silently from Austin City Hall to the Texas capitol building in downtown Austin. Despite the capitol building being closed, protestors went through gaps in the fencing to climb the steps of the capitol where they were met by capitol police. Despite being asked by the capitol police to leave the protestors held a rally for about half an hour to show solidarity with Occupy Oakland and Occupy Atlanta as well as to protest police brutality. A moment of silence was held before the group chanted “We are Oakland, we are Atlanta!” and “We are Scott Olsen!” and marched back to Austin City Hall through the middle of Congress Avenue and Cesar Chavez.

Riot police storm through Occupy Oakland.

The demonstration aimed to draw attention to fellow Americans who have been subjected to violence at the hands of their own government for exercising the constitutional freedoms their government is sworn to protect. The violent raid on the 25th of Occupy Oakland resulted in the arrest of 85 people and the brutalizing many peaceful participants, using excessive physical force, tear gas, and dangerous projectile rounds. Our elected public officials must listen to the grievances of this popular movement. It is absolutely unacceptable to attempt to dissuade civic engagement through the use of brutality, repression and retaliation against movement participants. This is America. All Americans have the freedom to peacefully protest our government. That right defines who we are as a country and a people, and when it is denied, all of America is the poorer for it. The Mayor of Oakland — and mayors and city governments across the country — should get on the right side of history and honor all Americans’ freedom to peacefully assemble and to civically engage.

We conclude with the video footage of a raid that aimed to suppress a movement and the collective voice of the people but inspired a show of national solidarity for WE ARE ALL SCOTT OLSEN!