Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Streetsblog.net

Oakland Cops Can’t Be Troubled With OWS Vehicular Assault

12:04 PM EST on December 1, 2011

The Occupy movement has added a new layer to the battle for the public right of way.

In many cities where protesters have asserted their constitutional right to assemble, law enforcement has intervened swiftly, even violently, the moment demonstrators get in the way of the movement of motor vehicles. We saw it when hundreds of protesters were arrested the second they interfered with traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge. Or when NYPD pepper sprayed young women in their attempt to keep a crowd confined to the sidewalk.

Watch how quickly things escalate in this video when an Occupy Oakland protest enters the public roadway.

The official response? As Network blog Systemic Failure points out, although the victims filed a police report, and the video evidence speaks for itself, Oakland Police have not pursued charges against the driver. The two protesters pictured in the video, Lance Laverdure, 29, and Margaret So, 36, suffered internal injuries and a broken ankle, respectively.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported:

BART police, who were first on the scene, briefly interviewed the driver, decided he wasn't drunk and let him go. Then they turned over the investigation to Oakland police.

As of Friday, however, Oakland police had not contacted So or key witnesses, attorneys for So and Laverdure said at a news conference where they showed video footage of the incident.

"As you can see, this is not a hard crime to solve," said Laverdure's attorney, Simona Farrise.

Systemic Failure compares this case to an incident earlier just last month where a firefighter was a victim of vehicular assault -- the suspect was immediately arrested and charged with three felonies including attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.

Elsewhere on the Network today: New Jersey Future writes that the state is threatening to weaken its successful, money-saving Transit Villages program. Riding in Riverside reflects on the sense of empowerment that comes with cycling for transportation. And Urban Adonia shares some of the latest anthropological examinations of America's warped transportation culture.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday’s Headlines Are Tired Out

Whether it's from degradation or the dust resulting from wear and tear, it's becoming increasingly clear that tire and brake emissions are harmful, perhaps even exceeding tailpipe emissions.

September 22, 2023

Study: What Road Diets Mean For Older Drivers

"After a road diet, all motorists seem to drive at a rate that feels comfortable to a mildly-impaired older adult."

September 22, 2023

Op-Ed: Why Is Fare Evasion Punished More Severely than Speeding?

A.B. 819 offers California the opportunity to decriminalize fare evasion and replace punitive measures with more equitable approaches.

September 21, 2023

Talking Headways Podcast: Local Culture and Development

We chat with Tim Sprague from Phoenix about supporting local culture through development projects and the importance of sustainable development and transportation.

September 21, 2023

City of Yes Yes Yes! Adams Calls for Elimination of Parking Mandates on ALL New Housing

Mayor Adams today announced the historic end to one of the city’s most antiquated — and despised — zoning laws requiring the construction of parking with every new development.

September 21, 2023
See all posts