Open Mic

On the day Homeland Security announced planning for a major immigration raid in the Bay Area in response to sanctuary city laws… U.S. immigration officials have begun preparing for a major sweep in San Francisco and other Northern California cities in which federal officers would look to arrest more than 1,500 undocumented people while sending a message that immigration policy will be enforced in the sanctuary state, according to a source familiar with the operation… …and the Department of Justice confirmed that it was looking for ways to arrest Sanctuary … Continued

Via the Oakland Privacy website: Oakland’s Public Safety Committee voted unanimously on January 9th to end all cooperation between the Oakland Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations/ICE; six months after cancelling a memorandum of understanding and five months after OPD assisted in a West Oakland immigration raid. Oakland’s Privacy Advisory Commission led an investigation into the raid that uncovered what really happened after IndyBay and this website asked some questions, an internal affairs complaint was filed and then city residents besieged the City Council in repeated charged public hearings on … Continued

Strike Debt Bay Area (SDBA) wrote and participated in the airing of an hour long KPFA radio show on financial inequality – causes, reprecussions and what we can do about it. Darlene Pagano, a member of SDBA and KPFA intern, hosted the show, called “Full Circle” which aired on Friday evening, December 15th, 2017 at 7:00 PM. You can listen to the show here, on KPFA’s apprentice web page, along with other Full Circle productions including “Trumping Democracy” and “Puerto Rico and Disaster Capitalism”. Here’s some “best of” excerpts from … Continued

Oakland may claim to be a sanctuary city, but on August 16th, 2017 its police engaged with Homeland Security Investigations Agents to raid an immigrant residence in West Oakland, resulting not in any findings of criminality (in particular, child sex trafficking) as initially claimed by OPD and HSI, but only in deportation proceedings against one individual – the very thing Oakland is supposed to taking a stand against. But that’s not good enough for City officials and some electeds, who are now engaged in a massive coverup, refusing to appear … Continued

Thanks to the unceasing efforts of the Friends of the Public Bank of Oakland (FBPO), after almost a year of dithering by the Oakland City Council money was finally allocated to do a feasibility study for a public bank to serve Oakland and other cities in the region! The history of the idea for a Public Bank of Oakland goes back at least to early 2013, brought to the newly formed Strike Debt Bay Area (SDBA) advocacy group and soon taken up as one of their causes. (Strike Debt Bay … Continued

  Read all about it… State legislation to regulate the surveillance state, SB 21, that Oakland Privacy is behind. The ICE raid in Oakland on August 16th. An Open Letter to Those Who Have Nothing to Hide. Internet of Things: Like Walls, Blockades and Checkpoints. It Took a Village to Stop a DAC. The Police State Will be Funded – UASI Grants to Local Police.. A Small Victory Vs. Urban Shield.   Want more info? New members: write to us at questions@oaklandprivacy.org Press inquiries: write to us at contact@oaklandprivacy.org Subscribe … Continued

  More Events: Tuesday,  10:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Richmond Paint Banners Against Hate, Fascism & White Supremacy https://occupyoakland.org/event/paint-banners-hate-fascism-white-supremacy/?instance_id=306064 Wedneday, 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM – bus to Sacramento from Oakland Support Bail Reform and Ending Collaboration With ICE: Sacramento https://occupyoakland.org/event/support-bail-reform-ending-collaboration-ice-sacramento/?instance_id=306066 Thursday, Noon – 6:00 PM – UC Berkeley Signmaking and art party for Rally Against Hate https://occupyoakland.org/event/signmaking-art-party-rally-hate/?instance_id=306065 Friday, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM – San Francisco, 16th St. BART Friday Night Faith Vigil: Stand Against White Supremacy https://occupyoakland.org/event/friday-night-faith-vigil-stand-white-suprremacy/?instance_id=305961 Saturday (San Francisco) 10:00 AM – Anti-Racist Rally starting at ILWU … Continued

Hundreds gathered in Latham Square to rally and then march in solidarity with Charlottesville’s anti-fascist protesters and Heather Heyer, the woman killed by a madman yesterday who plunged his car into the crowd. One of the many chants of the up to 500 people who took to the streets was “No Trump! No KKK! No. Fascist. USA!” Here are some tweets, tweetpics and tweetvideos of the event: Bay Area stands with #Charlottesville pic.twitter.com/HemccXnOmn — Haiti Action (@HaitiAction1) August 13, 2017 Remember this name #HeatherHeyer. Remember this face. She died today … Continued

Tuesday, July 11th, the Oakland City Council’s Public Safety Committee voted unanimously to sever Oakland’s remaining relationships with ICE (Federal Immigration Enforcement). This effort was catalyzed by Oakland Privacy and the Oakland Privacy Advisory Commission (which voted previously to recommend this action unanimously), and supported by Asian Americans Advancing Justice, the Council on American Islamic Relations Bay Area, and various other civil liberties organizations. It is an important step in ultimately sending an important message out to Oakland’s residents and the world: everyone is welcome here (except Donald Trump). The … Continued

Demanding that the City Council enact a real people’s budget in the midst of a homelessness and housing crisis, instead of continuing to fund OPD’s malfeasance, outrageous overtime and wastefulness, at about 8:00 PM on Monday, June 26th, 2017 activists shut down the City Council budget meeting, some chaining themselves to the railing in front of the dais, others chanting. Eventually the Council members walked out. By state law, municipalities must enact a budget by June 30th. The City Council has apparently scheduled another meeting for Thursday, June 29th. Here’s … Continued