1/15 update: On Jan 16th, a court hearing for arrested protesters is scheduled for 9am and at 1pm, students will walkout for a Justice for Oscar Grant speak-out at the county courthouse.

The BART police officer filmed shooting Oscar Grant on New Year's Day was arrested on January 13th, one day before a planned protest in Oakland.

On January 14th, thousands gathered in front of Oakland City Hall for a rally to protest the shooting. Speakers at the rally included Dereca Blackmon of Coalition Against Police Executions (CAPE), Oakland mayor Ron Dellums and rapper Too Short. After an hour of speakers there was a march to the DA's office and then back to City Hall. Before the rally, Christina Gomez from the Coalition Against Police Execution (CAPE) stated that the rally would "be a day for us to share this good news with folks. The job is not done. He has been arrested but he has not yet been prosecuted. We have to put pressure on DA Orloff. The fight is definitely not over.”

After the main protests ended, there was a break-away protest. Around 8:20pm the Wells Fargo near 12th and Broadway was attacked and several fires were set and car windows broken. Police moved in with tear-gas and over the next few hours there were 18 arrests. Breaking Coverage

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Video: 1 | 2 | Thousands gather by Oakland's City Hall | Annoucements | Anarchists Call for Unity

There have been protests and meetings nearly every day since last Wednesday, when downtown Oakland erupted with social unrest, including one Monday night in San Francisco.

Photos | Account of San Francisco Anti-Police Demonstration | BART Public Meeting | Emergency Town Hall Meeting | Youth from Oakland High March to Courthouse to Support Arrestees | Oakland on Fire | Authorities & Corporate Media Admit Grossly Exaggerate Oakland Riot Reports

On Monday January 12th, BART police handed over evidence to Alameda County District Attorney (DA) Tom Orloff on the shooting. Johannes Mehserle has refused to say anything but police say they questioned the six other BART police officers who were on the scene. BART police also say they questioned 21 people who witnessed the shooting, but police decided to make no recommendation on whether charges should be filed in their hand-off to the DA. Johannes Mehserle, was arrested on murder charges Tuesday January 13th in Nevada near Lake Tahoe.

DN: Ex-Officer Charged in Oakland Killing of Unarmed Black Passenger | BART Police Investigate Themselves And Hand "Evidence" To DA | Letter Writing Campaign to California Attorney General

Previous Coverage Of Protests | Previous Coverage of Shooting

In a new interview, San Francisco journalist and former Black Panther Kiilu Nyasha writes that San Quentin Six prisoner "Hugo L. A. Pinell, nicknamed 'Yogi Bear,' will go to Board again on January 17. His last Board appearance was November 14, 2006 when he was denied two years, despite having no rule infractions for 24 years. Make that nearly 27 years clean time now. One of George Jackson's closest comrades, Yogi has now been incarcerated in California prisons for almost 45 years, nearly 39 in solitary confinement, the last 19 in the Pelican Bay SHU (Security Housing Unit, or 24/7 lockup). The fact that he is still in great physical shape and hasn't lost his mind under such prolonged, tortuous conditions is testimony to his amazing spiritual and physical strength. Please write a letter to the Parole Board in support of Yogi's release -- at least to a mainline facility near San Francisco so his mother, 85, and other family/friends can have contact visits, and he can see the sun again." Read More with Video and Audio

see also: A Report on Today’s Prisons & Jails Part 1 | Part 2

Update 1/13/08: Further Indybay Coverage of Events Related to Murder of Oscar Grant

On January 7th at 11am, a memorial service was held for Oscar Grant at Palma Ceia Baptist Church in Oakland.

In the early afternoon of January 7th, it was announced that officer Johannes Mehserle had resigned from the BART police force so he would not be forced to testify at an internal hearing.

Later in the day, a rally was held at the Fruitvale BART station. Protesters gathered at 3pm and by 5pm the crowd had swelled to over one thousand people. Organizers noted that they intend to build a movement against police brutality and plan to hold several other demonstrations in the coming weeks. After dozens of speakers addressed the crowd for about 2 hours, a march began. Hundreds of protesters marched up International Blvd towards downtown Oakland. As the crowd passed the Lake Merritt BART area, there was a brief confrontation where a police car was attacked and a dumpster lit on fire. Within minutes, riot police arrived and shot tear gas into the crowd. The protest continued into the night as dozens of protesters took over and blocked the intersection of 14th and Broadway for over an hour, with chants of "We are Oscar Grant." A line of riot police then moved in to push the crowd out of the intersection and down 14th Street toward Lake Merritt. The protesters ran down 14th where dozens of car windows were broken and an SUV was set on fire. Police forces charged toward the group a few blocks later, and as protesters dispersed, windows were broken at a McDonald's.

About 9pm, Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums appeared near the Lake Merritt end of 14th Street and began walking back towards Broadway passing the damage along the way. People confronted him regarding the BART officer still not having been detained or even questioned one week later. Once Dellums, and the growing crowd following him, arrived at City Hall in Frank Ogawa Plaza, he addressed about 200 protesters from the steps of City Hall. He told the crowd to be respectful. He said the killing was a homicide and that he had ordered the City of Oakland to investigate the BART killing. The crowd interrupted much of his speech, expressing their displeasure with the situation.

As Dellums finished talking to the crowd and headed into City Hall, the crowd starting booing and then many people chanted "Round 2" and rushed toward San Pablo Ave. breaking more car windows. Tear gas was again fired by police. Protesters moved towards Lake Merritt down 17th Street. More windows were smashed and more dumpsters were set on fire. Another car was burned. At about 10pm, police in gas masks in police cars swooped in on protesters at 17th and Jackson. At that point, the crowd of protesters split up again and headed in several different directions. After a sizable crowd began to reconvene at 15th and Broadway, many headed up Telegraph, pulling objects into the road and breaking more windows. Just before 11pm, around 50 people were surrounded by police across from the Paramount Theater on Broadway. Many protesters lay down on the ground as police moved in to arrest them.

Oakland police are reporting that they arrested 105 people for a variety of offenses. Many have been released but some are still being held at Santa Rita jail or the Glenn Dyer County Jail..

Support for arrestees still being detained was called for at two hearings Friday, January 9th. In response, students from Oakland High marched to the court house (Report | Breaking). On Monday, January 12th, there was a demonstration in SF (Photos | Breaking)

CAPE, the Coalition Against Police Execution, has called for a Rally for Justice for Oscar Grant at Oakland City Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 14th starting at 4pm. There will be a benefit for legal defense Saturday, January 17th.

The National Lawyer's Guild has been taking reports of arrests and instances of police brutality at (415) 285-1011.

Breaking News Reports Wednesday-Friday and Monday
Video: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15
Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18

Legal Support Update 1/08

Oakland Rebellion: Eyewitness Report | An Anarchist Perspective on the “Violence” | Oakland on Fire: Anarchists, Solidarity, and New Possibilities | KPFA Reporter JR Valrey Arrested | Emergency Town Hall Meeting | Sounding Off about Oakland Protests | Solidarity with the African Freedom Struggle | Oakland: Congratulations | Indefensible | Bay Area IWW Statement on the Murder of Oscar Grant | The Truth Must Come Out! An Eyewitness Account | Anarchists and protestors are Violent, Bart Cop is Wronged Victim | Oakland's Not For Burning? | Demand The DA Arrest Cop Who Murdered Oscar Grant | Solidarity from Crete Greece | Sometimes you should riot | Thoughts on Fruitvale BART Protest

Previous Indybay Feature on Murder of Oscar Grant

UPDATE: January 7th, 2009: Rally and Rage Over BART Police Murder of Oscar Grant
Fruitvale BART Station Rally Followed by Riots in the Streets of Oakland

In the early hours of January 1st, BART police shot and killed a 22 year old man, Oscar Grant, on the platform of the Fruitvale BART station in Oakland. Witnesses report that Grant was "lying on his stomach with his hands out in a non-threatening position when he was shot". Police have confirmed Grant was unarmed and have suggested the shooting was an accident. Grant lived in Hayward and leaves behind a 4-year-old daughter.

BART officials have not released the name of the officer who shot Grant. After the shooting, BART police seized several cell phones from people on the platform who said they had used the phones' cameras to record what happened. For the first two days BART officials told the mainstream media that surveillance cameras at the station do not record, but then corrected themselves Friday night saying the cameras did record but didn't show the incident.

On January 7th, a memorial service was held at 11am at Palma Ceia Baptist Church and then a rally to protest the shooting began at 3:00pm at the Fruitvale BART station in Oakland.

Full Video and interview with Karina Vargas | New Footage | New Year's Resolution: Stop Shooting Young Black Men | East Palo Alto Accidental Shooting Investigation Takes 24 Hours | The first hours of the New Year would be the last for 22-year-old Oscar | BART Cop Shooting Brings Echoes of Rodney King | Did BART Cop who Killed Oscar Grant Mistake Gun for Taser? | Police Shoot And Kill Man Lying On Ground | Police Shooting in Fruitvale Bart Station | Wake the Fuck Up Bay Area

CAPE - Coalition Against Police Executions

Dec. 9th update: Alexis' funeral, terror strategy by the government | Dec. 8th update: tens of thousands in the streets

On Saturday December 6th, two Greek policemen in Athens had a verbal argument with several youth. During the argument, one of the cops pulled his gun and shot 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos twice. According to eye-witnesses, the cop had been swearing against the young man, showing his genitals, before shooting him. The victim was moved to Evangelismos Hospital where he was declared dead.

Alexandros was active in the anarchist movement in Greece and in response to his murder, thousands of anarchists and students gathered in the centers of most of Greek cities. In Athens, people gathered outside Evangelismos Hospital, in order to prevent the cops from entering the building. A little later the riot police attacked in a street in Exarchia resulting to one person being arrested. The evening in Athens evolved with the takeover of several buildings at the Polytechnic University, and rioting throughout the whole center of Athens. Protesters attacked and set on fire, police departments and banks, until the early hours of the next morning.

Protests and riots took place again on Sunday and Monday. Athens' giant Christmas tree in central square was set on fire and fires were set and windows were smashed in hotels, banks, police stations and other government buildings. Five demonstrations are planned Monday evening in major cities, including a rally by the Greek Communist Party and the socialist Pasok opposition in Athens.

Global Indymedia Coverage | Athens Indymedia (In Greek) | Patras Indymedia (In Greek) | Balkan Decentralized Network (In English)

Athens anarchist response to police shooting | Riots break out in Greece after police shoot 15-year-old boy | Police shooting sparks Greece riots | Greek cities hit by fresh rioting | Update from Greece, tens of thousands on the streets | Anarchy in Greece - an editorial | Update from Greece: Alexis' funeral, terror strategy by the government

On Saturday, December 6th, supporters of death-row journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal gathered at Philadelphia City Hall for a protest march through downtown that concluded at the Federal Court Building (Photos From Philly IMC). International solidarity actions were also held in France, Switzerland, Germany, England, and Mexico, while in the US, events took place in Detroit, San Francisco, Baltimore, Portland, and San Diego. Mumia is currently appealing to the US Supreme Court for a new guilt-phase trial, while the Philadelphia DA is appealing to the same court in an effort to execute Mumia without a new sentencing-phase jury trial.

The new video Fighting for Mumia's Freedom: a report from Philadelphia focuses on the March 27, 2008 denial of a new guilt-phase trial for Mumia, the DA's continued attempt to execute him, and the response of Mumia and his international support network.

Mumia is appealing the US Third Circuit Court decision denying a new guilt-phase trial or a preliminary hearing that could have led to a new guilt phase trial. The Supreme Court granted his request for a 60-day extension, so he will have to submit his petition by Dec. 19, 2008.

Audio | Previous Indybay Mumia Coverage

On November 20, the City of Palo Alto announced that its controversial police chief will retire on December 19. Chief Lynne Johnson sparked protests and a November 9 march on the city when she stated that she had instructed officers on her force to make "consensual contact" with African American men to counter a crime spike in Palo Alto. 

Her remarks were quoted in news reports worldwide and the topic of racial profiling became a much discussed issue at subsequent city council meetings. Some city officials took the opportunity to acknowledge that racial profiling exists and must be combatted, while others took the stance that the police chief "merely misspoke".

Although the police chief made several attempts at apologizing, many residents of the city and surrounding communities were left wondering why she directed her officers to look for African Americans with do-rags when victims of a 5-month city-wide crime spree had variously described suspects as being of African American, Pacific Islander, Latino or white descent.

Chief Johnson has been the target of other criticism in recent years, including what many feel was an over-reaction to a small anarchist rally in downtown Palo Alto in June 2005. To bolster the Palo Alto police force, Chief Johnson had all other police agencies in Santa Clara County plus the California Highway Patrol send a combined 233 officers to Palo Alto for about seven hours on the afternoon and evening of June 25. In addition Palo Alto was charged for the use of a police helicopter from the city of San Jose. The total cost to the city of Palo Alto is estimated to have been around $200,000 for police protection for a pre-announced anarchist rally, apparently organized by local teenagers, that began around 7 p.m. and ended about 10 p.m.

Read more | Previous coverage

On November 10, the Palo Alto City Council unanimously passed a resolution condemning racial profiling. In doing so they acknowledged the damage caused when Police Chief Lynne Johnson, commenting on a recent crime spike, said that she ordered her officers to question African Americans they see in Palo Alto to find out who they are.

Chief Johnson stated at a community meeting in late October that her officers would be stopping African American males and having "consensual" interviews. The purpose of the interviews would be to determine who they were and what they were doing in the city of Palo Alto, she stated. The next day she rephrased her original statement as follows: "What I meant to say," she attempted to clarify, "was that the officers, when they see not just the African American male adult, but the behavior, if the person is acting suspicious then they are to make contact and find out who that person is."

Victims of the recent crime wave in Palo Alto have variously described their assailants as being black, Latino, white, or Pacific Islander males, so many residents of Palo Alto and neighboring cities are wondering why the police chief is apparently targeting African Americans.

Community leaders including Congresswoman Anna Eshoo and Palo Alto Mayor Larry Klein expressed deep concern about Chief Johnson's ability to continue to act as head of the city's police department. Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, issued a statement condemning the chief's original remarks. Eshoo said that Chief Johnson had "demonstrated a profound lack of judgment and leadership." In an official statement the Congresswoman said that the Police Chief should rescind her comments and orders or resign. Palo Alto Mayor Larry Klein said the chief's remarks were "unacceptable, unconstitutional and un-American."

A march starting in East Palo Alto, a city with a large African American and Latino population across highway 101 from Palo Alto, was held on November 9. Several hundred people then rallied in front of Palo Alto City Hall. Dr. Faye McNair-Knox, Executive Director of *One East Palo Alto* announced a seven point plan to stop racial profiling in Palo Alto. That plan included a call for a boycott of Palo Alto businesses and the immediate resignation of Chief Johnson.

Backlash Against Palo Alto Police Chief | March Against Racial Profiling | Erase + Racism = Eracism | East Palo Alto Residents Ask: Am I a Suspect?

This Halloween, Friday, Oct. 31, hundreds of youth from throughout the Bay Area gathered with community members and families to denounce the atrocities committed against immigrant communities by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Youth demanded an immediate end to all ICE raids, the shutdown of all detention centers, and the creation of real sanctuary cities.

The protest started at 10 am in San Francisco’s Ferry Park (Washington between Davis and Drumm) with blessings from Danza Azteca and community organizer and author Betita Martinez, skull face painting, and other festivities. At 11:30 am, a funeral march made its way to the ICE office at 630 Sansome, followed by a mass rally in front of ICE.

The protest was a response to ICE attacks on immigrant communities, attacks that have taken place even in so-called “sanctuary cities” like San Francisco. The protest also brought attention to the repression and violence faced by immigrant communities during a presidential election season that has seen neither major candidate address the issues facing immigrant families.

Breaking News From 10/31:

2:15pm: In Oakland, 400 people were reportedly prevented from attending the protest because of BART's closure of the Fruitvale station.

2pm: Protesters have surrounded the ICE building on Sansome. Several people have locked down with 55-gallon drums on both ends of the building's driveway, where vans normally load and unload detainees.

11am: BART police have shut down at least three stations - Richmond, Fruitvale, and Coliseum - from which groups of protesters were gathering to commute to the protest in downtown San Francisco. At least three protesters were arrested in Richmond. Some trains were delayed, and others were bypassing Fruitvale and Coliseum stations.

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Video | Audio From Flashpoints | Read More | Event Announcement | California Youth Skip Halloween to Protest Scary Anti-Immigrant Policies | Stop ICE! | H.O.M.E.Y.

Recent ICE Coverage: ICE Raids More Than a Dozen Bay Area Homes

On Wednesday, Oct. 22, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security raided more than a dozen homes in San Francisco, South San Francisco, and Richmond. San Francisco homes targeted in the raid include ten in the Tenderloin, six in Bayview, and one in the Mission district. The attacks were purportedly linked to an investigation of the El Salvadorian MS-13 street gang.

Victims of the attack included a San Francisco family, reportedly all US citizens. The home of Julio Cesar Hernandez was raided around 4:30 am by ICE officials who broke down doors, tossed around the family’s belongings, pointed a pistol at Hernandez, and then handcuffed all the adults in the home. Hernandez’s two children, one 4 years old and the other 7 months old, were traumatized by the ordeal.

On Thursday, Oct. 23, community members gathered in front of the ICE office in San Francisco for an emergency protest against the raids. Dozens of people attended the protest, including independent Congressional candidate Cindy Sheehan and progressive candidate for supervisor Eric Quezada.

Photos from 10/23 Demo | Quezada, Rights Groups Blast ICE Raids | 10/23 Event Announcement

Other Recent ICE Coverage: Eleventh Hour ICE Raids Resolution (Palo Alto)