Oakland City Council Votes Down Tougher Protest Policing
OAKLAND (KCBS / AP) -- The Oakland City Council voted no on a resolution that sought to bolster the policing of Occupy protests in the city.
The board heard passionate comments and screaming matches during debate over the resolution on Tuesday, which directs the police, mayor and city administrator to "use whatever lawful tools we have" to oppose unpermitted future demonstrations that block roads.
KCBS' Chris Filippi Reports:
"To say that we're frustrated by the Occupy Oakland protests is an understatement," Oakland City Council Member Libby Schaaf told KCBS before the meeting.
She said the resolution would direct the city and its police department to crack down on protests that block streets and don't have a permit.
"While we absolutely support free speech and free assembly, we will not tolerate people shutting down our Port and harming our workers that depend on the Port for their wage," said Schaaf.
While the resolution specifically mentions the Port of Oakland, it could be used for protests elsewhere in the city.
A similar measure was proposed in December but it didn't reach the city council for a vote.
Oakland officials said that police overtime and other expenses related to Occupy events have cost the city more than $3 million.
Occupy Oakland members chanted "Let's Go Oakland" as they left the council chambers after the vote.
The vote comes on the same day the hacker collective Anonymous apparently struck again, posting the addresses and other personal information of several Oakland city officials on the Internet.
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