Dramatic Photos Show Just How Crazy Oakland's Police Protests Have Become

[xchrom]

http://www.businessinsider.com/dramatic-photos-of-oakland-police-protests-2014-12

An undercover police officer, who had been marching with anti-police demonstrators, aims his gun at protesters after some in the crowd attacked him and his partner:



A police officer holds back anti-police demonstrators as an undercover officer makes an arrest:



A anti-police protester who declined to give her name marches:

[seveneyes]

1. "aims his gun at protesters after some in the crowd attacked him and his partner"

Why was he physically attacked? How does physically attacking anyone help the cause of a peaceful march?

[daredtowork]

2. It's not clear he was attacked

The KTVU article, which was one of the first, and some of the tweets surrounding the incident, said that the officer pushed one of the protesters first (perhaps while the protester was trying to pull off his mask?).

I mention some of the questions and contradictions raised by the media accounts toward the bottom of my post on this incident:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025942908

Some of the confusion is raised by CHP Chief Avery Browne's evident dishonesty. We don't know which witnesses to believe, but we can't believe him either. All we have is some pictures and the video.

In the comments, I've tried to dispel some stereotypes and give some information from what I know about being in the area that night (but not at that incident).

As for what I believe probably happened:

1) Some folks identified the cops, cried cop, and this attracted more protesters.

2) A couple protesters tried to remove the mask of one cop and a scuffle ensued. Only the black one got arrested because that's the one the cop pushed to the ground, while the others backed away and blended into the witnesses.

3) The other cop panicked because they were being surrounded by angry protesters. He drew his baton and yelled for them to back off. They ignored him, because they were then yelling over the black guy being singled out for arrest (that can be heard in the video - the guy was treated so roughly he got a concussion). So the cop drew his gun out of fear, to make them back off.

Note: he was afraid of yelling people, not people that had weapons.

4) Oakland PD arrive and swarm on scene.

Ps. Thanks XChrom for posting the pictures!!!

[Hotler]

3. Provocateurs need their asses beat. n/t