For a second night in a row - Oakland police resorted to tear gas and rubber bullets to put down the Occupy Oakland movement - which refuses to step down. Late last night - officers in riot gear confronted hundreds of Occupy Oakland demonstrators in front of City Hall - and used canisters of tear gas to clear the crowd. That was just the beginning though - as demonstrators reconvened after each clash with police - only to be dispersed again by more tear gas and rubber bullets.
The cat and mouse game between Occupy Oakland and police lasted throughout the night. There are reports that 10 demonstrators had to be treated for wounds after being shot by rubber bullets. Oakland police are defending their use of force - force that looks like a military operation - by claiming demonstrators were hurling rocks and bottles at them. Oakland mayor Jean Quan - who was in Washington, DC last night - rushed home as unrest hit the streets in his city. And despite two straight days of violent police crackdowns, Occupy Oakland demonstrators are vowing not to go anywhere.
Meanwhile - in Atlanta - police cleared Woodruff Park in the middle of the night - the site of Occupy Atlanta for the last two weeks. Several people were arrested - and it's still unclear why police stepped in to break up what has been a peaceful occupation for more than 15 days.
There seems to be a concerted effort by law enforcement around the nation to put an end to the Occupy Movement - and they may find some success with arrests and shutdowns. But they won't find success trying to kill off an IDEA.
-Thom
(How do you think it will all turn out? Tell us here.)
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