Oakland Wasn’t “Open For Business” Today.

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Categories: Front Page, Open Mic

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Oakland housing activists and supporters shut down a Chamber of Commerce sponsored event at which Mayor Libby Schaaf was scheduled to speak on the topic of “Oakland: Open for Business.” The protest was aimed at the ever-increasing gentrification happening in Oakland, pushing out more and more of its long-time residents as rents skyrocket while elected officials create eight-year plans that offer nothing to those who can no longer afford the rent or are being evicted to make way for a richer and whiter elite.

The protesters made three demands:

  • Stop – declare a housing state of emergency with a moratorium on no-fault evictions.
  • Stay – protect residents by passing a stronger rent stabilization and anti-eviction ordinance, restoring social services & building truly affordable housing.
  • Expand – create a right to return program to bring displaced Oaklanders home.

Before the sun rose more than a hundred activists had gathered on the shores of Lake Merritt, listening intently as the organizers revealed the action plan for the morning.

After a brief rally, invocation and prayer, they marched up the shore of Lake Merritt to the Kaiser Building, through the lobby, up the escalators, past a rather stunned gaggle of almost all-white suits – some from the City, some from the Chamber of Commerce, and some from such august organizations as Wells Fargo – and into the auditorium where the “2016 Economic Summit” was to be held. All to the accompanyment of the Brass Liberation Orchestra.

After announcing their reasons for disruption they marched back out into the reception area, leaving teams of arms-linked blockaders to prevent people from entering the auditorium. The chanting and clapping continued for about a half an hour, as some of the attendees began to exit, until 8:30 AM, when the Chamber of Commerce organizer declared that the event was cancelled.

While there were eventually a few police cars outside and a half dozen police officers in the downstairs lobby, apparently protecting the Mayor from her constituents, no attempt was made by OPD to intervene.

Here are tweets and tweetpics from the action as it progressed.

Inside the Auditorium

Back into the Entry Hall

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