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Thanks to Adam for posting the short piece from the SF Chronically. Hundreds (several counts showed at least 500 people at any one time, probably 2 to 3 times that many at various points) started showing up at 5am in the morning at the docks in Oakland (including Adam and myself). The picket was organized out of a Weds. night organizing meeting of 100 or so activists with ANSWER providing the venue for the event. IT was a true united left and labor event within the context of the 'community', meaning the large Palestinian community in the Bay Area. Spurred on by 3 resolutions from the Alameda (Oakland), SF and ILWU Local 10 condemning Israel for it's attacks on the flotilla, the turn out at this mid-week, two day notice meeting was impressive. Supporters and participants in other similar actions...the 1984 boycott of the S. African ship that helped spur on the international anti-Apartheid movement that year, the Neptune Jade beef were a scab ship was sent packing after having docked at Liverpool, retired members of Local 10 and other ILWU members talked about the need to exert extreme discipline on the picket line as the members of Local 10 are our allies, not our enemies, brothers and sisters in solidarity, etc. There were 4 gates all of which were covered with massive picket lines making it impossible for anyone to cross. This is what we needed for Local 10 members not cross. It should be noted that we all had 3 words in the back our heads that made this some what tenuous: the "Oakland Police Department". In 2003 when the war against the Iraqi and Afghani people started a massive, unorganized call went out for a protest at the docks. Thousands of protesters showed up...and were shot at by the police with their new 'powers' given to them by the US government. The OPD just opened up with shot guns firing wooden dowels which caused massive injuries on dozes of peaceful protesters. ANSWER and other organizers met with the cops prior to the picket during the week. The OPD wanted a new image, especially with the various police shootings in the Bay Area, including Oakland, and the OPD's reputation for massive over-kill in their response to what are civil violations of injunctions or trespassing. Their presence was 'normal' and copying the SFPD's policy of *hiding* their SWAT teams, shot-gun toting OPD cops were no where to be seen. In fact they had actual 'negotiators'...with "Negotiator" stitched onto their uniforms, at the picket line politely talking with organizers about staying out of the road as we blocked the trucks and cars from entering the Berths. Co-coordinating a massive picket at 4 locations with the highly diverse political and organizational make up was bumpy at first but worked well eventually as runners went between picket lines. Special squads of labor militants were dispatched to talk with members of Local 10 and other ILWU locals and non-ILWU locals where were respecting our picket line. There were no Zionist counter-demonstrators (which would of clearly worked to our advantage) as there usually are at past anti-Zionist pro-Palestinian demonstrations. I write this 30 minutes before the next shift of picketers is due to show up in time for the 6pm (PST) shift in case the ship tries to dock later tonight. A shout out to ANSWER and all the organizers for pulling this off in a real show of unity. D. Walters ________________________________________________ Send list submissions to: [email protected] Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
