First, they praise the police. Then they are confronted with reality. People are videoing.

[vanlassie]

Three examples- Mayor Jean Quan, Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau, and UC Davis Chancellor, Linda P.B. Katehi- each started out with mindless praise for the police- then when they could not deny what their eyes were telling them, they had to backtrack. Why should they be allowed to keep their jobs? WE knew what had REALLY happened in realtime. What the fuck are THEY doing???


Oakland Mayor, Jean Quan, Oct 25, 2011: We want to thank the police, fire, public works and other employees who worked over the last week to peacefully close the encampment. We also thank the majority of the protestors who peacefully complied with city officials.

I commend Chief Jordan for a generally peaceful resolution to a situation that deteriorated and concerned our community. His leadership was critical in the successful execution of this operation. City Administrator Deanna Santana developed the plan and secured mutual aid from other departments and the State of California. She will direct departmental teams, including safety, public works, communications, to restore conditions at the Plaza so that it is available for public use.

Then, two days later, November 10, 2011, she says, "I've started an investigation about the use of teargas and our potential violations of use of force policy.






UC Berkeley, Chancellor Robert Birgeneau, November 10, 2011: "It is unfortunate that some protesters chose to obstruct the police by linking arms and forming a human chain to prevent the police from gaining access to the tents. This is not non-violent civil disobedience."

Then, four days later, on November 14, 2011, he says: "I returned to Berkeley yesterday after a week-long trip to Seoul, Tokyo and Shanghai where we successfully advanced some important new partnerships that will benefit our campus.
While away, I remained in intermittent contact with Provost George Breslauer and other members of our leadership team and was kept informed, as much as possible, about the Occupy Cal activities on campus. However, it was only yesterday that I was able to look at a number of the videos that were made of the protests on Nov. 9. These videos are very disturbing. The events of last Wednesday are unworthy of us as a university community. Sadly, they point to the dilemma that we face in trying to prevent encampments and thereby mitigate long-term risks to the health and safety of our entire community. Most certainly, we cannot condone any excessive use of force against any members of our community. I have asked Professor Jesse Choper, our former Dean of Law, and current Chair of the Police Review Board (PRB) to launch immediately a review of the police actions of last Wednesday and Thursday morning.


UC Davis Chancellor, Linda P.B. Katehi on November18, 2011: "Following our requests, several of the group chose to dismantle their tents this afternoon and we are grateful for their actions. However a number of protestors refused our warning, offering us no option but to ask the police to assist in their removal. We are saddened to report that during this activity, 10 protestors were arrested and pepper spray was used. We will be reviewing the details of the incident."

Then, on November 19, 2011, she says: "During the early afternoon hours and because of the request to take down the tents, many students decided to dismantle their tents, a decision for which we are very thankful. However, a group of students and non-campus affiliates decided to stay. The university police then came to dismantle the encampment. The events of this intervention have been videotaped and widely distributed. As indicated in various videos, the police used pepper spray against the students who were blocking the way. The use of pepper spray as shown on the video is chilling to us all and raises many questions about how best to handle situations like this.

To this effect, I am forming a task force made of faculty, students and staff to review the events and provide to me a thorough report within 90 days. As part of this, a process will be designed that allows members of the community to express their views on this matter. This report will help inform our policies and processes within the university administration and the Police Department to help us avoid similar outcomes in the future. While the university is trying to ensure the safety and health of all members of our community, we must ensure our strategies to gain compliance are fair and reasonable and do not lead to mistreatment."

[Fire Walk With Me]

1. All in California. Maybe those chemtrail stories are true...

[cyglet]

2. Finally

A GOOD reason to have a camera on a phone :)

[PoliticAverse]

3. Video and an Internet to spread it really changes things. n/t

[vanlassie]

4. As the police were retreating in Davis, you can see MANY cell phones and iPads aimed at them!

They weren't trained to do their work as if it would be recorded for posterity!

[PoliticAverse]

5. Tim Pool pointed out that the Cops seem to be warning eachother that he has a live stream. n/t

[Lindsay]

6. I know, right?

Isn't technology wonderful in the peoples' hands?

(Nevermind the homemade pr0n tapes. :evilgrin: )

[truedelphi]

7. Whenever I think of Mayor Quan, I think back to Mayor Jane Byrne of Chicago.

She was "da Mayor" back in late seventies, early eighties. She pledged she would, upon her election, live in the projects in order to get a feel for what life there is like.

And she did it. Granted she had body guards, and I am sure it makes a big difference knowing that you are going home to a real house (and all) sometime soon, but it helped her see what life was like. How truly terrible living in a project happens to be.

And conversely, had Quan decided to live inside Occupy Oakland, I think she might have discovered how wonderful so many of the Occupy people happen to be.

[Moravecglobal]

8. Campus police report to Chancellor: Condem University of California Chancellors

University of California Berkeley Chancellor Birgeneau
hijack’s our kids’ futures. I love University of California
(UC) having been a student & lecturer. But today I am
concerned that at times I do not recognize the UC I love. Like
so many I am deeply disappointed by the pervasive failures of
Regent Chairwoman Lansing, President Yudof, Chancellor
Birgeneau from holding the line on rising costs & tuition
increases
Chancellor Birgeneau has molded Cal. into the most expensive
public university. Paying more is not a better education.
Californians are reeling from 19% unemployment (includes:
those forced to work part time; those no longer searching),
mortgage defaults, loss of unemployment benefits. And those
who still have jobs are working longer for less. Faculty wages
must reflect California's ability to pay, not what others are
paid. 
Current pay increases for generously paid University of
California Faculty is arrogance. Instate tuition consumes 14%
of Ca. Median Family Income! 
Paying more is not a better education. UC Berkeley(# 70
Forbes) tuition increases exceed the national average rate of
increases. 
UC President Yudof, Cal. Chancellor Birgeneau($450,000 salary)
dismissed many much needed cost-cutting options. They did not
consider freezing vacant faculty positions, increasing class
size, requiring faculty to teach more classes, doubling the
time between sabbaticals, cutting & freezing pay &
benefits for chancellors & reforming pensions & the
health benefits.
They said such faculty reforms “would not be healthy for UC”.
Exodus of faculty, administrators? Who can afford them and
where would they go?
We agree it is far from the ideal situation, but it is in the
best interests of the university system & the state to
stop cost increases. UC cannot expect to do business as usual:
raising tuition; granting pay raises & huge bonuses during
a weak economy that has sapped state revenues & individual
Californians’ income.
There is no question the necessary realignments with economic
reality are painful. Regent Chairwoman Lansing can bridge the
public trust gap with reassurances that salaries & costs
reflect California’s ability to pay. The sky above UC will not
fall when Chancellor Birgeneau is ousted.

Opinions? Email the UC Board of Regents 
[e-mail]