OCCUPY WALL STREET : “Mass Arrest at YMCA” (January 28-29, 2012) 09 / 15
January 31st, 2012
Story published 1:30 am: OAKLAND — Police arrested about 300 people Saturday as Occupy Oakland protesters were thwarted trying to take over a vacant convention center and a YMCA but later broke into City Hall, where they burned a flag taken from inside. Police used tear gas and “flash” grenades in the afternoon against 2000 protesters who tried to tear down fences around the vacant Henry Kaiser Convention Center, where they hoped to establish a new camp. Police said some demonstrators started throwing objects at officers. There were at least 19 arrests in the afternoon. After 6 pm (9 pm ET), police in riot gear declared a group of protesters gathered near the YMCA under mass arrest for failing to disperse, according to local media reports and livestreams. Police said about 100 demonstrators were arrested at the YMCA. Several protesters at the YMCA appeared to be put hard to the ground as police moved in and at least one protester had blood on his face. Protesters chanted, “Let us disperse,” but instead were taken one by one for police processing. Some protesters claimed they were trying to flee police by running through the YMCA rather than take over the building. Later in the evening, about 100 police officers surrounded City Hall while others swept the inside of the building. Police arrived after protesters had broken into City Hall, stole an American flag from the council chamber and set it ablaze, the Oakland Tribune reported. Officers stomped out the fire. Earlier …
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