Using threats and force to press for a triumph of will over others is a police state tactic once called "fascism" and now called special weapons and tactics (SWAT) operations.
(Russia Today) Eyewitnesses in Oakland have put up footage of the police's violent tactics against activists. Here is one of the latest videos of the incident referred to in Marina Portnaya's report. An Iraq War veteran was injured.
Marine veteran Scott Olsen is seen lying on the ground after being shot in the head by a police officer wielding a tear gas canister propeller, fracturing Olsen's skull and swelling his brain. When a group of activists run to his aid, a policeman deliberately takes aim at the protesters, misusing a "non-lethal" weapon in an illegally deadly fashion with complete immunity. Police then lob a flash bomb at the group to prevent them from aiding Olsen. It goes off immediately, terrorizing the unarmed civilians being subjected to indiscriminate deadly force.
- Police wounding Vet stirs new wave of dissent (The Nation)
- Vietnam Vets were treated the same way in the past
"Veterans for Peace" member Scott Olsen was critically wounded by Oakland Police who are believed to have been joined by 15 other government agencies. Together they fired on unarmed American citizens. When the government uses violence to suppress its people it is a form of fascism.
In New York near Wall Street police brutality is encouraged.
- Hurt protester Scott Olsen was "provoking no one" (SFC)
- Oakland PD under cloud for violent crackdown (Mother Jones)
- US protesters call for strike against Oakland (Reuters)
- Marine Down in Oakland (Counter Punch)
- All Eyes on Oakland: Too Big to Fail, Too Big to Jail (Huff Po)
- Occupy protesters arrested in two cities (CNN/CIA)
