Oakland: Former U.S. Marine and Protestor in Critical Condition After Being Shot in the Head by ‘Police Projectile’
October 27th, 2011Via: AFP:
An Iraq war veteran was critically injured after riot police fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of anti-Wall Street protesters near San Francisco, supporters said Wednesday.
Officers also fired bean bags but denied using rubber bullets to quell protest on Tuesday in Oakland, California, where unrest erupted after a protest camp was broken up and 97 people arrested.
On Wednesday, demonstrators were vowing to take to the streets again with a march scheduled for 6:00 pm (0100 GMT Thursday). Police have said protesters will not be allowed in the city plaza beyond 10:00 pm.
Police initially said they had no reports of injuries, but Highland General Hospital spokesman Curt Olsen confirmed that Marine veteran Scott Olsen had been admitted and was in critical condition.
The spokesman, who is not related to the veteran, said he was unable to release further details about the man’s injuries without the family’s consent.
A statement by the group Iraq Veterans Against the War said Olsen was suffering from a skull fracture after being hit by a “police projectile.”
Keith Shannon, a friend and fellow veteran, said that Olsen had joined the Oakland protest because “he felt corporations and banks had too much control over our government.”
Police could not immediately be reached for comment.
different angle, around 3:00 is where you can see olsen on the ground.
http://www.ktvu.com/video/29587714/index.html
What US veterans have come to understand is that they are expendable. Expendable in combat and expendable after return to civilian life define how they are valued by the American Power Structure. After losing their limbs, eyesight, and minds, America vets return to a nation that demands their mindless lockstep to the whims of the rich and powerful who sent them to bleed and die. The flag-draped coffins are only the tip of the iceberg. Many thousands continue to breath but exist in a living hell as they realize that they were used as pawns in a game of manipulation and sacrifice that had absolutely nothing to do with patriotism or protecting freedom.
If I were an organizer of the Occupy Movement, I would be putting out the word that each time a cop beats a peaceful protester, the rail service would be shut down (slowed down) one hour.
80 percent of all goods move across North America by railway. The loss of rail service would bring the economy to it’s knees overnight. Losses to investment houses and shareholders would be huge.
Railways pass through the center of each major community. No need to travel to Wall Street or wherever.
Railroads are private property, but it is not against the law to cross over or walk over the tracks “slowly”.
Calm
What you say is interesting for the Oakland/San Francisco area, Calm. Some of the largest recent demos (that received a big response… there have been other peaceful antiwar marches etc. that barely got coverage) were the series of BART protests over the shooting of Charles Hill (drunk, homeless, armed with bottle) and Oscar Grant. They vowed to protest each week until their demands to reform the transit police were met – and this caused a hectic multiagency response. Train stations were shut down by police during each demo.
Hi! Quintanus
I was thinking of the railway “freight” system and not “transit” system.
If the rail business were made aware of this possible escalation in tactics, they would need to slow down just for safety concerns.
Just the threat alone would slow the transportation system down considerably.
Calm