Yesterday police violently raided the Occupy Oakland encampment in California. This first video shows a protester, an Iraq Veteran, getting hit in the face with a tear gas canister.

When other protesters came to the aid of the victim, this video shows clearly an Oakland police officer throwing concussion grenades at the people who come to the aid of the person who was hit in the face with the hot, dangerous tear gas canister.

This is maybe some of the worst footage I've seen of police violence at a protest in the United States.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZLyUK0t0vQ&feature=player_embedded
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Occupy Boston provided this video and the following account of events: Unfortunately, the heavy-handed police response in Oakland, California that we posted about earlier has continued. Tuesday evening, and throughout the night, over 500 members or the Oakland Police Department (OPD) and 16 other agencies around central California arrested around 97 protesters at Occupy Oakland and dispersed hundreds more. Protesters who went to reoccupy the space at the Oakland Library were met with heavily armed riot police using tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash-bang grenades.

As in Boston, the Oakland Police Department’s use of force seriously injured an Occupy activist who was also an Iraq War veteran:

Scott Olsen, 24, remains sedated on a respirator, in stable but critical condition at Oakland’s Highland Hospital after being hit in the head with a police projectile . . . .

In another instance of misconduct, OPD treated Occupy Oakland street medics as an excuse to throw more firepower, lobbing a flash-bang grenade at a group of people trying to evacuate a protester who had been knocked out by police.

This video highlights the extreme tactics used by police to remove the peaceful protesters of Occupy Oakland:

This is what the OPD had to say after their actions:

Q. Did the Police deploy rubber bullets, flash-bag grenades?

A. No, the loud noises that were heard originated from M-80 explosives thrown at Police by protesters. In addition, Police fired approximately four bean bag rounds at protesters to stop them from throwing dangerous objects at the officers.

There are reports that some protesters may have thrown bottles, rocks, and possibly fireworks at police; however, it should be noted, that, as The Guardian reports,

The violence in Oakland is against a backdrop of a troubled city whose police force is notorious for its heavy-handedness and has been the subject of numerous allegations of abuse and police brutality.

Oakland City Hall claims that this is a “peaceful dispersion.” To the mayor we respond that this is an unqualified lie. We stand in solidarity with the protesters of Occupy Oakland. For further information we recommend their website: www.occupyoakland.org.

Source: Occupy Boston-
www.occupyboston.org/2011/10/26/solidarity-oakland/
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Here is another video of yesterday's raid. This video made by an independent media journalist who lists police badge numbers of violent officers as events unfolded:
 http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/18100259

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Here is the timeline/ breaking news account from Indybay on the violent raid of Occupy Oakland:

Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 11:23 PM : BART closed 12th Street earlier today after police tear gas began to filter through underground station #OccupyOakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 11:22 PM : Even more tear gas fired at 10:30 and 11:15pm at 14th and Broadway #OccupyOakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 11:18 PM : . Photos of vet shot by police projectile at Occupy Oakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 9:53 PM : Car drivers are honking support, rallying people to keep marching in the face of teargas and projectile onslaughts. #OccupyOakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 9:44 PM : Yet more tear gas, at Telegraph and Broadway #OccupyOakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 9:40 PM : OPD is playing target practice, shooting projectiles at Indybay photographers. #OccupyOakland #OWS
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 9:30 PM : Heavy tear gas again in downtown oakland #OccupyOakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 9:13 PM : #OccupyOakland standing ground at 14th & Broadway, defying order to disperse. People holding flags and banners in front of riot cops.
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 8:34 PM : "Let's go Oakland!" "We are the 99%" #OccupyOakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 8:33 PM : #occupyoakland is back at 14th and Broadway. Chanting peacefully as police threaten "serious injury"
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 8:22 PM : Known injuries so far: man with head wound bleeding profusely, several people with rubber bullet wounds. #OccupyOakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 8:17 PM : #OccupyOakland march now on San Pablo
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 8:05 PM : Protesters have regrouped at 19th and Broadway. "Whose streets?" #OccupyOakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 7:48 PM : Heavy use of tear gas #occupyoakland #ows. protesters attempting to regroup.
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 7:47 PM : Injured 99%er being carried. possibly asthma triggered by tear gas. #occupyoakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 7:44 PM : Gas flash bangs at 14th and Broadway #OccupyOakland #OWS
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 7:40 PM : People are not leaving. a trash can is on fire. #OccupyOakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 7:34 PM : "Chemical weapons will be used." #OccupyOakland #OWS
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 7:33 PM : Dispersal order reported at 14th and Broadway. Police have gas masks. #OccupyOakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 7:29 PM : #OccupyOakland march has almost made it back to Oscar Grant Plaza. #OWS
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 7:22 PM : #OccupyOakland marching south on Broadway. #OWS
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 7:15 PM : #OccupyOakland now marching back west on 20th St #OWS
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 6:59 PM : Boots is rallying the crowd. East on 20th then right on Lakeside. #OccupyOakland is taking #SnowPark
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 6:58 PM : 20th and Franklin: Thousands of people marching. "Banks got bailed out we got sold out" No police presence except ghetto bird #OccupyOakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 6:43 PM : #OccupyOakland marched south on Broadway with hella support from stuck drivers, now marching east on 17th towards Franklin
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 6:35 PM : #OccupyOakland now marching north on Telegraph at 17th St. #OWS
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 6:33 PM : #OccupyOakland is marching north on Broadway. #OWS
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 6:25 PM : Police with gas masks at 14th and Broadway, and report of a dispersal warning. #OccupyOakland #OWS
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 6:12 PM : Indybay has confirmed reports of flash bangs and tear gas. #OccupyOakland is marching north on Broadway.
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 6:10 PM : Indybay has received reports of flash bangs and tear gas (again) at #OccupyOakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 6:08 PM : #OccupyOakland is marching up 9th St towards Broadway. #OWS
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 6:04 PM : #OccupyOakland march now heading towards Oscar Grant Plaza going north on Clay St.
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 6:04 PM : 2 people arrested, police attack crowd, swinging batons at #OccupyOakland march. Protesters throw paint bombs.
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 5:57 PM : #OccupyOakland still on the move, west of 7th St.
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 5:55 PM : #OccupyOakland at 7th and Washington flanked by two lines of riot police. Tension rising. "Keep on marching"
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 5:51 PM : #OccupyOakland marching on Washington St towards Oakland Police headquarters
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 5:40 PM : #OccupyOakland is marching south on Broadway
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 5:36 PM : Huge #OccupyOakland march is now at 12th and Broadway - along with riot police #OWS
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 5:21 PM : At least 1000 marching south on Madison St from library #OccupyOakland #OWS
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 5:06 PM : 500-700 people at Oakland Main Library as #OccupyOakland regroups - along with a heavy police presence
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 12:20 PM : #OccupyOakland Snow Park site re-occupied by 10am www.occupyoakland.org
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 12:04 PM : Jail support at 7th and Washington, bring nourishment. #occupyoakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 9:58 AM : #OccupyOakland calling for 4pm reconvergence at Oakland Main Library at 14th Street and Madison today
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 6:50 AM : City of Oakland is reportedly advising people who work in the area not to come to work #OccupyOakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 6:31 AM : Another 150 police have arrived at #SnowPark and cordoned off area, mass arrest looks likely - despite park opening at 6am #OccupyOakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 6:15 AM : 150 police have just started raiding the #OccupyOakland satellite camp at Snow Park
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 6:00 AM : Report from #OccupyOakland arrestees on a bus: At least 40 people on their bus. Unknown where they are going.
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 5:48 AM : BART has issued a service advisory: Trains are not stopping at 12th St. Please use 19th St. Station as an alternative. #OccupyOakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 5:36 AM : Live stream continues from the #OccupyOakland raid www.livestream.com/occupyoakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 5:20 AM : #OccupyOakland law enforcement sightings: Pleasanton Police, UCPD, OPD's tank
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 5:19 AM : Downtown workers arriving for work but unable to pass thru police lines surrounding Oscar Grant Plaza #OccupyOakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 5:10 AM : Downtown Oakland is pretty much sealed off, including Telegraph and Franklin as police raid #OccupyOakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 5:00 AM : Protesters are being taken into custody at #OccupyOakland #OWS
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 4:59 AM : Police are in #OccupyOakland removing barricades and taking down tents.
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 4:55 AM : Line of riot police at #OccupyOakland have all put on their gas masks - appears they will be using chemical weapons #OWS
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 4:53 AM : Police have moved into the plaza on the 14th St side of #OccupyOakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 4:45 AM : "Largest police operation I've seen" - Police and Alameda County sheriffs in full riot gear have surrounded Oscar Grant Plaza #OccupyOakland
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 4:39 AM : Hundreds of police on Broadway at #OccupyOakland #OWS
Tuesday Oct 25th, 2011 4:11 AM : #OccupyOakland has barricades up for potential police raid
www.indybay.org/occupyoakland