Open Mic

Saturday morning, January 16th, activists participating in the #ReclaimMLK #96Hours actions arrived at Mayor Libby Schaaf’s house with symbolic coffins representing those killed by police in Oakland in 2015, SOLD signs, representing the massive gentrification that is happening and the attempted illegal sale of the 12th St. Parcel, and an eviction notice. Later, others travelled out to Brentwood, CA (near Antioch) where Oakland Police Chief Whent lives (over 90% of Oakland’s police force does not live in Oakland) with a similar, but slightly different message. Tweetpics from these events. The … Continued

More than two hundred people gathered at Oscar Grant Plaza amphitheater in the late afternoon of January 15th for “Can You See Me?” at the call of the Interfaith Committee in Solidarity with Black Lives Matter Bay Area. It was the beginning of Martin Luther King Jr. weekend and the first large action of the second annual #96Hours #ReclaimMLK set of events organized by the Anti Police-Terror Project et al. A number of white coffins were laid out in memory of those killed by local police this year. Songs were song, … Continued

On Tuesday, January 5th, 2016 the Oakland City Council unanimously passed the first reading of an ordinance which will establish a Privacy Commission. The ordinance will become law after the second reading, which is scheduled to happen on January 19th. The Commission’s first task will be to draft and submit to the Council a Surveillance Equipment Ordinance which will deal generally with policies and procedures if and when new surveillance tech becomes available and City agencies, especially OPD, wish to acquire it. The Commission will also have the responsibility to … Continued

Mike Zint was an organizer at Liberty City, the Old Berkeley City Hall Occupation established in November in protest of proposed anti-homeless laws that were ultimately enacted by the Berkeley City Council on December 1st.  The Occupation was raided on December 4th.  He continues to fight for the homeless at the Downtown Berkeley Post Office Occupation, established in November, 2014, and still there after more than thirteen months. December 27, 2015 This email spells it out. Liberty City worked. Unfortunately, the city didn’t care. An open letter to the city council: The … Continued

Sandy Sanders, an Occupier and former resident of Oakland now living in Oregon, has produced an innumerable number of posters and other artwork in support radical and readically progressive causes over the years.  Here’s a look at some of his Bay Area-based work from 2015:         60181

The latest fight against Urban Shield and the militarization of police took place in Berkeley over the past few months. Members of the Stop Urban Shield Coalition joined Berkeley Copwatch and the Oakland Privacy Working Group in attempting to get Berkeley to stop sending police to Urban Shield training exercises for at least next year (2016). The Light Brigade’s ‘NO TO URBAN SHIELD’ lights up the space outside the Berkeley City Council Meeting on Dec 1st. They failed, but in doing so publicized the role Urban Shield plays in the militarization … Continued

Cat Brooks speaks at San Francisco City Hall on the murder of Mario Woods. My name is Cat Brooks. I’m the co-founder of the Anti Police-Terror Project, and a member of the Black Power Network.  I’m actually based in Oakland, but here supporting San Francisco.  After Mario was murdered- MURDERED, EXECUTED, in broad daylight in your city, I asked myself “How long…” I didn’t ask myself, I posted on Facebook as a matter of fact… “How long is it going to take for the Chief to come out and tell … Continued

It took 18 days for the City of Berkeley to decide they could no longer tolerate an organized and visible resistance to the City Council’s utter failure to do anything for a growing homeless population in need of shelter, storage and a place to shit. Eighteen days after a protest Occupation appeared on the grounds of Old City Hall beginning on the eve of a City Council meeting where the first reading of anti-homeless ordinances were voted, and three days after a second reading where these ordinances were enacted into … Continued

Asians For Black Lives Statement on the BlackFriday14 Victory: The Power of the People Won’t Stop Dec 4, 2015 #BlackLivesMatter #EndTheWarOnBlackLives #Asians4BlackLives Today, Asians4BlackLives stands inspired and proud alongside our comrades, the BlackFriday14, as Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley announces she is dropping the charges against them. This is a victory for the people. This is a critical moment to celebrate the power of grassroots organizing, direct action, and the fierce multi-sector, mutli-racial solidarity that worked hard to win this decision. We congratulate the BlackFriday14, and we acknowledge Nancy … Continued

Wednesday, at 1:30 PM in front of the Wiley Manual Courthouse in downtown Oakland approximately 150 people gathered in solidarity with the Black Friday 14. They were there to demand that the District Attorney “Drop the Charges” from a year ago when the 14 stopped BART trains at the West Oakland BART Station in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Along with the solidarity ceremonies by various faith leaders and supporters outside, fourteen members of the faith community went inside the courthouse and conducted a sit in from 1:30 … Continued