Occupy Smashy “FTP” march in the Mission District of San Francisco
Here is video from the attack on the Mission District on Friday night. In it you can see Occupiers in black bloc, attacking the local police station and as well as other businesses. More on the story here. “FTP” stand for “F–k the Police”.
Occupiers rampage through the Mission District again
Occupy black bloc rioters rampaged through the Mission District of San Francisco for the second night in a row, allegedly protesting an officer-involved shooting on Thursday.
The officer involved shooting occurred around 8:00 pm Thursday. The man shot was a 22 year old reported gang member who had previously been convicted for robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. He was recently jailed for a parole violation and released about two weeks ago. He allegedly pulled a Tech-9 on an officer who fired back, wounding the suspect. The man is now recovering in the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Tech-9
Around 10:30 pm, dozens of rioters surrounded the police station at 630 Valencia St. and vandalized the police station, according to San Francisco police. Vandals spray-painted “Killers” on the front doors of the police station.
Last night, on Friday, the Occupiers came out again after arranging to meet at Dolores Park. Notice the hashtags on the post. “FTP” stands for “f–k the police”. “OSF” is Occupy San Francisco and “OO” is Occupy Oakland. Dustin Slaughter, another Occupier/Anonymous supporter asks for pictures of the “damage” before it even occurs:
They threw paint balls with glass in them at the police stations and other projectiles including a hammer. One officer was injured.
When one of the local restaurant owners dared to come out and ask them to stop hurting the businesses, he was punched in the face.
They also threw explosives of some type on the street.
They attacked the CBS News crew, trying to grab their camera, as well as banging and jumping on their van.
When CBS interviewed some of them, some were smoking marijuana, some believed that the suspect had been killed, others did not give clear answers as to why they were there.
While media covered it, and did refer to “Black Bloc”, it is unclear if they realized that it was Occupy.
Protesters passed out the following flyer to ABC News showing again that they really didn’t have their facts straight.
Click on picture for CBS story and video:
Wells Fargo to give $25,000 to aid Mission District damaged by vandals
Wells Fargo today announced a $25,000 grant to aid merchants in the Valencia Corridor of San Francisco.
The grant will be administered by the Valencia Corridor Merchants Association and the Lower 24th Street Merchants and Neighbors Association, who serve local businesses in the Mission District of San Francisco.
Many small businesses in this neighborhood were impacted by a recent wave of vandalism, and these funds will allow for repairs and improvements so that local merchants can reopen for business. Reports estimate that more than 30 businesses were damaged during a recent streak of vandalism, which amount to necessary repairs in the tens of thousands of dollars.
“This grant will help our local merchants make much-needed repairs like replacing broken windows, removing graffiti and aiding in the general clean up required to open their doors again,” said Erick Arguello, President of the Lower 24th Street Merchants and Neighbors Association.
“Many small businesses in the Valencia Corridor don’t have the cash reserves to handle unexpected expenses like vandalism,” said Deena Davenport, President of the Valencia Corridor Merchants Association
Businesses were damaged by a Black Bloc that rampaged through the District after an Occupy pre-May Day “ruckus party” against gentrification in Dolores Park. Local occupiers claim that the damage was not caused by occupiers. See prior story and video from inside the black bloc rampage here
Update: San Francisco Mission District violence from Occupy event
Further update on the pre May Day violence in San Francisco. There have been calls, typically, that this was “out of towners” or “agent provocateurs”.
Here was the call to a “ruckus street party” ad sent out by and to Occupiers, was on Reddit and other sites:
April 30: The Strike Starts Early Street Party
We call on our comrades from every corner of the Bay to descend upon Dolores Park, 8pm April 30th, for a ruckus street party to counter gentrification, capitalism, and the policing of our communities.
Everyday should be strike day.
They’ve stolen our lives. They’ve stolen our health. They’re taking over every inch of our cities and pushing us nowhere. If there is anything we have learned from the last six months it is this: May 1st isn’t the only day for striking, and isn’t only a day for workers. April 30th kicks off a string of actions in the Bay Area against all who would take our lives from us.
San Francisco, once a stronghold of the dispossessed, has become a playground for the rich and a living hell for those of us who can’t keep up or have no interest in capitalist relations. Homelessness, gentrification, racist police murders, the displacement of all that is queer, outrageous rent prices, our list is endless: it is time to reclaim our playground.
We call on our comrades from every corner of the Bay to descend upon Dolores Park, 8pm April 30th, for a ruckus street party to counter gentrification, capitalism, and the policing of our communities.
Everyday should be strike day.
Dolores Park 8pm April 30, 2012
As we noted in our earlier account, Occupy twitter accounts were at Dolores Park and following in the march. We have video below recording that fact. You can hear things smashing, and see very clearly the art gallery being smashed at 8:50
Some Occupiers tried to stop others who were causing damage. But others continued. As we noted, Occupy media, Sparrow Media Project, had no problem with the damage to the Mission District Police Station, celebrating the “glorious destruction”.
The problem with a march where there are no leaders and no hierachy, no one can say who is and isn’t “an Occupier”. The march becomes whatever the “hivemind” of the moment wants it to be. There may have been out of towners from what I can tell. But I believe the suprise was in that it just didn’t stick to “acceptable targets” like the police, but extended to, well, “normal people”. That 99% they keep talking about.
That workman that got hit with the crowbar outside of the Four Barrels coffee store didn’t appreciate it. Mom and pop stores smashed. Kids screaming at the projectile thrown through their window. The faded brown minivan owner whose car was destroyed. 500 calls into the police.
But that’s kind of what happens when you invite people to a “ruckus party”. Things tend to get out of hand. And unfortunately, too often and in too many places, things have gotten out of hand.
Early May Day reports
Early reports on May Day action so far:
In NY:
White powder was sent to seven locations in Manhattan, including Wells Fargo branches and reportedly the Mayor. Threatening notes were attached:
“This is a reminder that you are not in control,” said a message that arrived with the envelopes. “Just in case you needed some incentive to stop working we have a little surprise for you. Think fast you have seconds.
All the powder was tested and turned out to be non toxic, according to police. It caused evacuations of the banks, but there were no injuries.
The police believed San Francisco-based Wells Fargo might have been targeted for white powder mailings because about half of a key dozen Occupy Wall Street members have backgrounds in Oakland, San Francisco and Berkeley, and similar incidents occurred in California earlier this week, police sources said.
In the New York cases, the envelopes mainly appear to have reached low-level workers at the bank branches.
“Apparently, the message was aimed at the mail room workers among the ’99 percent,'” New York police spokesman Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne told ABC News.
The envelopes, believed intended for May Day delivery, evidently arrived at the banks early, according to police.
“They underestimated the efficiency of the U.S. Postal Service,” one official said.
Occupy members denied responsibility for the action
In the Mission District in San Francisco:
Reports are that between 50 and 60 black bloc members rampaged through the area around Dolores Park (where Occupy SF was having a early “Occupy Party” for May Day) smashing “mom and pop” businesses and cars along the street.
Protesters damaged windows and doors of businesses including restaurants Monday evening following an early May Day protest that started at Dolores Park. The Mission Police Station building and Locanda restaurant were also paint-bombed.
Police said that they have received 500 calls with reports of damage and officers are patrolling the streets after dispersing the crowd at 14th and Mission streets.
See more here
There were also two reported car accidents involving police vehicles responding to the violence. It is not known what injuries may have resulted at this time.
Some Occupy twitter accounts denied occupy involvement, while others professed shock at the violence.
We will be updating information throughout the day as we hear it.
Update: Video taken surreptiously which is why it is unclear in spots. Also why I am mirroring it. A live streamer had been threatened already. Guide to video: ACAB= All Cops are Bastards. A in circle is Anarchy symbol. You can hear things being smashed throughout the video but at 8:50 or so you can see an art gallery being smashed.
Update: ABC TV video of some of destruction here
Citizen Journalist 