April 7, 2003
Kenny Mostern, GPAC Press Contact
Oakland, CA During a peaceful, anti-war
community picket this morning attended by over five hundred people,
police responded violently with wooden bullets, bean bag rounds
and concussion grenades, injuring dozens of people. Many people
were treated on site and at least two people, one longshoreman and
one picketer, were taken to the hospital where they are being treated
for injuries.
Nancy Nadel, Vice Mayor and Oakland City
Council Member commented "According to my aid who was present at
the port, police reaction was unprovoked and inappropriate."
The anti-war picket started at 6AM in front
of APL and Stevedoring Services of America (SSA), and spotlighted
the roll of privatization in post-war Iraq. Particularly the announcement
of SSAıs recent contract to run the Iraqi port Umm Qasr has raised
concerns that the Bush administration is more concerned with corporate
profits then re-building Iraq.
"We wanted to send a strong message that
there will be no business as usual for corporations profiting from
this illegal war that threatens the lives of countless U.S. troops
and Iraqis," said Oakland resident Sasha Wright. Ms. Wright, whose
father and brother are longshoremen, continued, "The community picket
line was pro-worker and anti-war. I am shocked and saddened that
police would respond to a peaceful picket with violence."
The anti-war picket was symbolic in nature
and rather than physically blocking workersı access was an invitation
to workers to join in protesting corporations profiting from the
war. Some longshoremen in keeping with a long tradition of solidarity
and social justice on the Oakland docks decided not to cross the
peace picket line.
Todayıs community picket line was part
of a National Days of Action against the War culminating four days
of action in which hundreds of vigils, demonstrations and actions
occurred around the nation. Todayıs actions, included NY, DC, Austin
TX as well as Belfast Northern Ireland. Direct Action to Stop the
war is voicing opposition to this immoral, illegal war through spotlighting
corporations that profit from it.
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