Moments from March 4
Lee Cressey
Issue date: 3/18/10 Last update: 3/18/10 at 2:46 AM PST
Section: March 4 Demonstrations
He emphasized the importance of community in the fight for education. "It's time to come together and build bridges between one another," said Shakur. "Because the only people you can depend on are the people standing next to you."
"They're paying more for prisoners than they're paying for students education," Bay Tech Middle School student Edgar Gomez said on why he came out to the rally. He and other classmates marched with Oakland Tech carrying an 8-foot long banner that read: "No cuts to our education."
"What we are chosen to do as Laney students is to organize," Laney student Jevon Cochran told the crowd in Frank Ogawa Plaza. "Whether that means occupying buildings, walking out, or marching in the streets."
Cochran was later found eschewing the streets in favor of marching on the freeway; he urged protesters to stick together as cops closed in and traffic on 980/880 was brought to a halt.
"So far so good," Officer Troupe of the Oakland PD said regarding the status of the rally in Frank Ogawa Plaza. 10 minutes later, the cops donned their riot gear (helmets, face shields and batons) in response to 60 protesters, many wearing black attire with bandannas across their face and blocking traffic at Broadway & 14th Ave.
The group danced in the intersection to music pumping out of a bike-pulled sound system, and carried a sign that read: "Occupy Everything." The cops formed human chains across each street and BART entrance, forcing the group north on Broadway. The only access to BART was by way of the elevator for the 12th St. - City Center BART station.
"It's wonderful," UC Berkeley grad student and organizer Blanca Misse said in reaction to the way the day was unfolding. "This is the beginning of a very powerful movement."
Misse has been organizing since last summer and helped lead the thousand strong UC Berkeley march five miles down Telegraph Ave. to join the Oakland rally in a showing of solidarity with high schools, community colleges, and workers to challenge the cuts to education.
"They're paying more for prisoners than they're paying for students education," Bay Tech Middle School student Edgar Gomez said on why he came out to the rally. He and other classmates marched with Oakland Tech carrying an 8-foot long banner that read: "No cuts to our education."
"What we are chosen to do as Laney students is to organize," Laney student Jevon Cochran told the crowd in Frank Ogawa Plaza. "Whether that means occupying buildings, walking out, or marching in the streets."
Cochran was later found eschewing the streets in favor of marching on the freeway; he urged protesters to stick together as cops closed in and traffic on 980/880 was brought to a halt.
"So far so good," Officer Troupe of the Oakland PD said regarding the status of the rally in Frank Ogawa Plaza. 10 minutes later, the cops donned their riot gear (helmets, face shields and batons) in response to 60 protesters, many wearing black attire with bandannas across their face and blocking traffic at Broadway & 14th Ave.
The group danced in the intersection to music pumping out of a bike-pulled sound system, and carried a sign that read: "Occupy Everything." The cops formed human chains across each street and BART entrance, forcing the group north on Broadway. The only access to BART was by way of the elevator for the 12th St. - City Center BART station.
"It's wonderful," UC Berkeley grad student and organizer Blanca Misse said in reaction to the way the day was unfolding. "This is the beginning of a very powerful movement."
Misse has been organizing since last summer and helped lead the thousand strong UC Berkeley march five miles down Telegraph Ave. to join the Oakland rally in a showing of solidarity with high schools, community colleges, and workers to challenge the cuts to education.
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