According to Osha Newman, a lawyer and long-time activist who has worked with Albany Bulb residents in their now-lost attempts to stay in their homes, the last two residents of the Bulb were evicted on Friday, May 30th at gunpoint.
At 4 AM this morning, a large contingent of Albany police, some carrying guns including assault rifles raided the campsite of the two last residents of the Albany Bulb, Amber Whitson and Philip Lewis, and arrested them along with a supporter, Erik Eisenberg. All three were charged with misdemeanor violations of California Penal Code 647(e), which prohibits lodging.
Although they all had valid identification on them, the police claimed that they did not and they were taken to Santa Rita jail, where they were held for approximately 6 hours and then released.
Ms. Whitson’s and Mr. Lewis’ dogs were taken by the police to the Berkeley animal shelter.
After their arrest, their dwelling was destroyed; the remains of it are still at the site on the Bulb
Amber on May 31, 2014 showing where her home used to be. The walls, the table, and other items. The Albany Council members and Albany Police should be ashamed for evicting evicting the less fortunate.
A former Occupy Oakland participant and long-time labor activist, Elliot, was arrested at the Bulb on Thursday, May 29th. He is still in Santa Rita jail and will be arraigned on Monday at 2:00 PM at Wiley Manuel courthouse in Oakland.
Elliot is being hit with multiple trumped up charges, including possessing tools to escape from jail and possession of weapons, both felonies, as well as two misdemeanors.
UPDATE: Elliot was released on OR from Santa Rita Tuesday, June 3rd at 4 AM, 12 hours after he was arraigned.
Here is a new flyer on the Bulb:
30 people showed up Monday for Elliot’s arraignment at Wiley Manuel Courthouse only to learn that most of the bullshit charges had been dropped down to a single count of PC 647C, I believe, which reads:
Except as provided in subdivision (l), every person who commits any of the following acts is guilty of disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor:
(c) Who accosts other persons in any public place or in any place open to the public for the purpose of begging or soliciting alms.
I understand that the cops decided to target Elliot last week after he chained himself to a backhoe to prevent the last residents’ house from being demolished. The Albany PD used an old traffic violation from the Midwest (talking on a cell phone) as an excuse to put out an All Points Bulletin on him and pick him up as he was walking back to the Bulb after working on a leaflet.
Elliot was represented by Jeff Wozniak. The DA stipulated to releasing Elliot on his own recognizance with a stay away order from a huge area around the Albany Bulb, bounded by University Ave, Central Ave, San Pablo & the Bay. But Elliot had an outstanding bicycle traffic ticket from San Francisco, so he is being held to see if SF wants to demand his custody. They can hold him for 5 days from his arraignment, so I believe they have to let him go by Friday. I believe he is due back in court on Monday, June 9th.
Here is a KPFA News interview with Orion on the Bulb from last Saturday:
https://occupyoakland.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Orion_KPFA_Interview-David_Rosenberg_2014-05-31-Sat1800.mp3