Occupy LA targets Long Beach Port/ 2 Arrested as of 12/12/11 - Polidicks

[url]http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-port-protest-20111212,0,3405572.story[/url] [url]http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-occupy-ports,0,2198544.story[/url] [img]http://media.trb.com/media/photo/2011-12/66716013-12073830.jpg[/img] ^^ Video ^^ [url]http://www.ktla.com/videogallery/66717798/News/KTLA-Police-Make-Arrests-at-Port-of-LA-Occupy-Protest-Eric-Spillman-reports[/url] [b]View this video because in my honest opinion it doesn't look right.[/b] [quote=KTLA5]LONG BEACH (KTLA) -- Two weeks after their central command post at City Hall was dismantled by police, Occupy L.A. protesters are setting their sights on a new mission -- shutting down the Port of Los Angeles. They are trying to restrict access to the port by blocking roads, and at least two protesters have been arrested. Hundreds of protesters gathered at Harry Bridges Park in San Pedro starting around 4 a.m. Monday. They marched to the gate of the Terminal J, where protesters were met by Long Beach police officers in riot gear. The protesters were blocking a roadway to the terminal, and officers tried to get them to move back into a designated protest area. One person was arrested in a scuffle as officers took away a metal barricade being held by some of the protesters. That man was dragged to the ground and taken away in handcuffs. Officials have said they plan to keep the port open, and anyone who disrupts its normal operations could be arrested. The protesters were targeting Terminal J because it houses shipping agent SSA Marine, which is partially owned by investment bank Goldman Sachs. Goldman Sachs received billions in government bailout money. "Not only are we targeting a company that has a particularly bad record with regard to labor management issues, but also a company that's really done a lot to loot the American treasury and the American taxpayer," protester Steve Kemp told KTLA. "We wanted to show that Goldman Sachs was one of our targets," protester 'Marshal' said. "We wanted to shut down the terminal for the day because a world without Goldman Sachs would be much better." Police were gradually able to push the protesters back down the road away from Terminal J. The crowd then marched to the intersection of Harbor Scenic Drive and Windsor Drive, closer to the Queen Mary. A group of 300-400 hundred protesters blocked the intersection there, using construction materials like chunks of cement to block off the street. They forced trucks to turn around and effectively shut down down access to that part of the port. Officers from the Long Beach Police Department, the LAPD, the CHP and the Harbor Patrol were deployed around the intersection. At least one additional protester has been arrested, bringing the total number of arrests to two. The port protest does not have the official support of the unions that represent port workers, but protesters hoped some workers would walk off the job. They have called on members from the International Longshoreman Worker's Union to join in what they hope is a full shutdown of ports along the West Coast. ILWU's president released a statement in October supporting the Occupy Wall Street movement after members were pepper-sprayed in a protest at the Port of Longview in Washington. "We know that justice won't be won by asking greedy employers for permission or waiting for politicians to pass laws," ILWU President Bob McEllrath said. Occupy movements in San Diego, Oakland and Seattle are also expected to take on their local ports.[/quote]

At this rate, majority of the Occupy movement will be having free bed and breakfast behind bars by 2012

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;33687743]At this rate, majority of the Occupy movement will be having free bed and breakfast behind bars by 2012[/QUOTE] Paid for by California tax payer money, and given $5000 bail for protesting.

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;33687743]At this rate, majority of the Occupy movement will be having free bed and breakfast behind bars by 2012[/QUOTE] One of the purposes of civil disobedience is to flood jails with non-violent offenders and cost the government a shitload of money.

Without trading, wouldn't the American economy try to kill itself? What's the point occupying a port that's important to national trade? A company with a bad labour record needs the labour unions to strike, not group of protesters to stop it from functioning... On a side note, if the American ports shut down, does that mean Canadian ports get more trade and money?

pretty grim scene in that video, bunch of protesters in the intersection surrounded by riot police

I'm so confused. What is the point of shutting down a port? I support the Occupy movement, but this seems a bit ridiculous.

[QUOTE=da bloop;33691928]I'm so confused. What is the point of shutting down a port? I support the Occupy movement, but this seems a bit ridiculous.[/QUOTE] To sow a message apparently Majority of the west coast ports they are trying to shut down haha.

So to stand against the richest 1%, they are going to screw over the dock workers and truck drivers that barely survive as it is? Smooth.

[QUOTE=Ridge;33692747]So to stand against the richest 1%, they are going to screw over the dock workers and truck drivers that barely survive as it is? Smooth.[/QUOTE]Given that the unions that those men are a part of openly endorse and protest with the Occupy movement, yeah. Nice try with that spin though.

[QUOTE=Doctor Zedacon;33692822]Given that the unions that those men are a part of openly endorse and protest with the Occupy movement, yeah. Nice try with that spin though.[/QUOTE] p sure the unions won't back shutting down their own workplace and stopping their members from working in order to protest against a parent.

[QUOTE=R3N3GADE;33692868]p sure the unions won't back shutting down their own workplace and stopping their members from working in order to protest against a parent.[/QUOTE] They did, read the article. The Teamsters Union supports it.

[QUOTE=ewitwins;33692890]They did, read the article. The Teamsters Union supports it.[/QUOTE] ok "The port protest does not have the official support of the unions that represent port workers"

Oh hey. I live in Long Beach. They chose the wrong day to protest, it's been raining all day.

[QUOTE=Doctor Zedacon;33692822]Given that the unions that those men are a part of openly endorse and protest with the Occupy movement, yeah. Nice try with that spin though.[/QUOTE] The dock workers unions have already said they do not side with this action. [quote]The International Longshore and Warehouse Union, which represents many thousands of longshoremen up and down the West Coast, has distanced itself from the shutdown effort. The union's president suggested in a letter to members that protesters were attempting to co-opt the union's cause to advance their own agenda.[/quote] [url]http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2016997540_apusoccupyports4thldwritethru.html?syndication=rss[/url] Also, OMG, a Koch is there!!! [quote]Kari Koch, organizer with Shut Down the Ports Working Group of Occupy Portland, said by shutting down the port, Wall Street will be unable to create profit.[/quote]

[QUOTE=Zeke129;33687997]One of the purposes of civil disobedience is to flood jails with non-violent offenders and cost the government a shitload of money.[/QUOTE] Haha, you're outlandishly ignorant to how the government works. Many low security prisons are owned and run by private contractors. If they suddenly get a huge influx of inmates, they pass the added cost onto the local/state government. The local/state government will then either divert funds from another branch (like education) to make up for the unplanned deficit, or increase taxation on people that live in the state. It doesn't cost the government crap to run a jail, it costs society to run it. All "occupy xyz" protestors are idiots that can't think of anything better to do with their time, other than cost the rest of society money and cause grief.

[QUOTE=bohb;33695889]All "occupy xyz" protestors are idiots that can't think of anything better to do with their time, other than cost the rest of society money and cause grief.[/QUOTE] Do you live in some kind of ultra-conservative bubble or have you just gone mental?

[QUOTE=Megafanx13;33696957]Do you live in some kind of ultra-conservative bubble or have you just gone mental?[/QUOTE] If he was going mental, I could understand. What with all the rampant ignorance that some members like yourself and Zeke are clinging to.

[QUOTE=Ridge;33696996]If he was going mental, I could understand. What with all the rampant ignorance that some members like yourself and Zeke are clinging to.[/QUOTE] Ignorance like bringing back the Clinton era tax bracket for the "job creators"? And what about that ignorance about corporate personhood?

[QUOTE=Ridge;33696996]If he was going mental, I could understand. What with all the rampant ignorance that some members like yourself and Zeke are clinging to.[/QUOTE] And what rampant ignorance am I clinging to exactly? The 'rampant ignorance' that the protestors are not all drug-addled criminals?

[QUOTE=Megafanx13;33697083]And what rampant ignorance am I clinging to exactly? The 'rampant ignorance' that the protestors are not all drug-addled criminals?[/QUOTE] That the government doesn't get hurt financially by putting a lot of people in jail. The tax payers do. But since, IIRC, you are not a tax payer yet, it's none of your concern.