Quan, Under Attack, Changes Course on Occupy Oakland

[justabob]

http://www.baycitizen.org/occupy-movement/story/quan-shunned-reverses-occupy-ban/

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, under attack from inside and outside her administration, announced late Wednesday that Occupy Oakland can return to the plaza in front of City Hall, an abrupt reversal that followed a night of street violence Tuesday and widespread criticism over her handling of the crisis.

As more than 1,000 people descended on Frank H. Ogawa Plaza Wednesday night, Quan called for "a minimum police presence" and said nonviolent protesters would be allowed to re-occupy the area near City Hall. One day earlier, with Quan's authorization, 400 police officers had dismantled the tent city.

Quan has been facing a growing firestorm over what some describe as a tentative, out-of-touch approach to the crisis. Earlier, Quan admitted that she had not known that police were planning to evict the protesters early Tuesday morning, saying only that she had signed off on the plan.

Dan Siegel, the mayor's longtime friend and legal adviser, said he was considering resigning over the raid. He added that city officials were divided over how to handle Occupy Oakland. <snip>

[AsahinaKimi]

1. She needs to

1. Apologize.
2. Fire the Chief of Police.
3. Resign.

[RoccoR5955]

5. Well stated!

[AsahinaKimi]

7. I forgot one...

4. Pay the hospital bills for the Veteran who the cops attacked.

[justabob]

16. indeed

I suspect that the city of Oakland is going to wind up paying for much more than that in his case.

[caledesi]

17. Well said ju! n/t

[coalition_unwilling]

26. Supplement point 2 by firing City Administrator Santana who

authorized the police raid.

[AsahinaKimi]

28. Yeah just found that out and included it on my other post..

Someone there said she had fired one of the Police Chiefs..(There is more than one?) I hope there is a link to that.

[Fire Walk With Me]

30. +1

[formercia]

2. Seems like the Chickenhawks made the decison for her,

with the usual results. Like Iraq, just on a smaller scale.

[tridim]

3. Wow! OWS has amazing power.

It continues to surprise me.

[Javaman]

29. This is the way it should be. a government that fears it's people. nt

[RoccoR5955]

4. I can see that she is not led by her own mind

I believe she has too many advisors.
This is what happens with these people, and how they get out of touch with the common folk.

[valerief]

8. Too many .01% advisers. nt

[EFerrari]

10. She's already in the middle of a recall with a new interim police chief.

This is a bad situation.

[gratuitous]

6. "City officials were divided"

So naturally, Quan and the cops take the most divisive course, the one that causes the most harm and damage that can never be undone. That's some brilliant leadership and governance, there. Oh, and as the cherry topping this shit sundae, Quan claims she signed off on the cops' plan, but didn't really know what it was. Can we put her in charge of something a little less potentially harmful? Like pushing the "up" button for the elevator in the City Hall lobby?

[barbtries]

9. how do you sign off on a plan

when you don't know what it is?! i call bullshit.

at best she didn't know the police were going to shoot people and destroy property wantonly. that may have been decided just on the way while they were donning their riot gear.
it's bullshit that she didn't know the occupiers would be evicted.

[redqueen]

19. When you're not doing your job. (nt)

[FedUp_Queer]

11. Lights, cameras!

This is exactly why we need to shine the light of day on these actions; this is why we need cameras, video and real time reporting of what's going on. Simple exposure is how we win. Why is that? Because WE are the ones who have nothing to hide.

[caledesi]

18. Well said F! n/t

[closeupready]

12. She needs to go. Pronto.

K&R

[xchrom]

13. buh-by ms. quan -- time for you to go. nt

[justiceischeap]

14. how does she sign off on a plan & know nothing about it? nt

[xiamiam]

20. there were police brought in from all over the bay area..how much did that cost?

as far south as gilroy..how much did that cost?..somebody needs to be fired ..probably a lot of people

[justabob]

31. around a million bucks for everything... 500k for PD overtime

From the article linked....

<snip>
City finance officials now expect the costs of the eviction, cleanup and response to the protests to surpass $1 million, with at least half going to police overtime, according to sources familiar with the projections.

“Wall Street’s not going broke, but the city of Oakland will,” one finance official said. “We’re spending money on resources we definitely don’t have.” </snip>

[tama]

24. incompetent coward nt

[safeinOhio]

15. Fire the Chief and

all the brass that had anything to do with the plan. Otherwise, she's toast.

[Why Syzygy]

21. On Alternet too. WHOOP!

Oakland Mayor Now Supports the Occupy Movement, Orders "Minimal Police Presence"

http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/686295/jean_quan%27s_about-face:_oakland_mayor_now_supports_the_occupy_movement,_orders_%22minimal_police_presence%22/

[dtexdem]

22. The type of thing OWS needs to have happening nationwide.

Now she needs to be watched to see whether her actions follow her words. If so, it's a win.

[tama]

23. She blinked

we are winning...

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

25. Oakland needs quality not Quan-ity

[coalition_unwilling]

27. Hah! Instant DUzY! - n/t