San Francisco: Report From Anti-Columbus March (10/6/2012)

Indybay, Saturday, Oct 6th, 2012
Around 150 people gathered in Justin Herman Plaza. They were against everything: the military jets making metal of the air, the hordes of tourists thoughtlessly awing at the spectacular display of death above the city, the office towers and malls hanging above the waterfront, the unrestrained and uninterrupted reign of capitalism, slavery, colonialism, the empire.
At 3:30 pm they left the plaza carrying a banner that read RESIST GENOCIDE – DESTROY WHAT IS CIVILIZED . They headed towards the streets behind the Embarcadero Center mall. The riot police immediately began to follow alongside the march, and just as quickly the first paint bomb was thrown at them. The police declared the march illegal before it had walked a block. Along the route several luxury cars had their windows smashed and their tires deflated. The cops continued to get hit with bright paint as people proceeded towards Market Street.

They attempted to stop the march at one point but were outmaneuvered and the march was able to continue another two blocks. It was not until the police attempted to apprehend a single individual that the march was halted and a brawl began. The police swarmed in, two dozen of them on motorcycles, and began to isolate lone individuals and smaller groups of people. A Starbucks had its windows smashed as people were dispersing and in the end at least 19 people were beaten and arrested as the military jets thundered overhead.

The hordes of enthusiastic and wonderstruck tourists and baseball fans coursed through the metropolis, unaware of what was taking place behind Embarcadero Plaza. The virus that was planted in San Francisco hundreds of years ago was still expanding, neutralizing all resistance, and keeping itself alive. To all those marveling at the war jets in the sky, it is difficult to make sense of a mob of people who are against the colonial system. To be against colonialism, capitalism, and civilization are not popular causes—at least in affluent places like San Francisco wherein most have been convinced by the virus that its glitters are to their benefit. But this was why people went onto the street, and this is why they were attacked so severely.

SFPD riot cops assault anti-Columbus protest and arrest demonstrators, Oct 6, 2012.

The Colonial Machine, with their cops, laws, and order, attacked in order to silence our resistance and solidarity with others against a toxic system created to keep us in cages. From the belly of the beast, people rebelled against everything that fuels this empire. Cops attack to maintain order with their guns and badges, people attack with paints to liberate walls and brighten the darkness. There is no freedom in Amerikkka, there is no justice on occupied land. 520 years later, Indigenous people resist genocide and slavery through occupations. Decolonize the Empire, rebel for life. Decolonize the New World, liberate all walls, brighten the darkness.

More updates to come after Columbus Day…

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/10/06/18723189.php

Police arrest protesters in San Francisco

John Wildermuth, SF Gate, Saturday, October 6, 2012
SAN FRANCISCO — One police officer was slightly injured and 22 protesters were arrested Saturday as demonstrators briefly disrupted traffic with an unannounced march through San Francisco’s downtown.
Some of the people arrested were carrying hammers, an ice pick, road flares and bags of paint and rocks, said Officer Gordon Shyy, a police department spokesman.
The trouble started just before 3 p.m. when about 100 protesters, many of them wearing masks and black clothing, gathered at Justin Herman Plaza and began marching west down Market Street, tying up traffic.
When police told them they had no permit for the march and needed to get out of the street, the protesters began tossing flares, bags of paint and other objects at the officers, Shyy said. One police officer was struck in the head and received minor injuries while a number of other officers were bathed in paint.
Police stopped the protest in the Financial District, shortly after 3:30. They circled a number of demonstrators at California and Battery streets, and they arrested other protesters as they fled to Pine and Sansome streets, Shyy said.
At least some of the protesters face felony charges of assault on a police officer, while others were arrested for conspiracy, riot, resisting arrest and failure to obey a lawful order from a peace officer.
While police were busy at events across the city Saturday, plans always include extra officers to handle any unanticipated problems that might develop, Shyy said.
“We know there are always possible demonstrations in the city and we prepared for that,” he said.

 http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Police-arrest-protesters-in-San-Francisco-3925776.php