Oakland Cops Shoot at Dockers, Protesters
verbond voor de vierde internationale - 09.04.2003 21:18
The Oakland cop attack underlines that Washington’s invasion of Iraq is also a war on U.S. workers, minorities, immigrants, leftists and supporters of democratic rights.
Imperialist War on the Home Front
Oakland Cops Shoot at Longshore Workers And Antiwar Protesters
“Hot Cargo” War Materiel! For Workers Strikes Against the War
APRIL 7 – This morning, police launched a brutal assault against antiwar demonstrators and dock workers in the port of Oakland, California, firing on the crowd of more than 500 with shotguns and wounding a number of those present. Six longshore workers were treated by paramedics. The cops were shooting rubber bullets, wooden dowels and bean bag rounds, tossing concussion grenades and using “sting balls” which spray BB-size pellets and a cloud of tear gas. But while police spokesmen insist these are “non-lethal,” dramatic pictures of injured protesters show they can cause great damage. A business agent for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), Trent Willis, said enraged workers walked out after the attack: “They shot my guys. We’re not going to work today.” ILWU Local 10 business agent Jack Heyman was arrested along with 35 protesters and port workers.
This shows starkly what imperialist war means on the home front: increasing police-state repression. The Oakland cop attack underlines that Washington’s invasion of Iraq is also a war on U.S. workers, minorities, immigrants, leftists and supporters of democratic rights.
More:
 http://www.internationalist.org/oaklandcopsshoot0403.html
 E-Mail: internationaalverbond@xs4all.nl  Website: http://www.internationalist.org
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