An Oakland Police Department officer shot blogger and videographer Scott Campbell with a projectile (a "bean bag" round or rubbber bullet, it's not clear which) while he was recording video during Occupy protests this weekend. Mr. Campbell was not threatening the officers or engaged in any violent activity that required this response. Is it legal for police to shoot photographers in a public place simply because they do not want to be photographed? [Video Link]
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9:33 am Mon
Nov 7, 2011
Photographer shot by Oakland Police with "less-lethal" round, for no apparent reason
Ten arrests in 87 minutes: How NYPD dispersed peaceful Occupy Wall Street protests
A short film by Paul Sullivan that chillingly breaks down the creepy tactics New York City police used to intimidate and harass protesters, and arrest them for expressing their first amendment rights in public space. In these examples, it seems they used “the momentum of arrests” to deter the spirit of the crowd–not because the […]
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Report: FOIA'd FBI documents point to secret, nationwide Occupy surveillance
Update: I missed this NYT front-section story on the PCJF’s document trove, published on Christmas Eve. The tl;dr: The FBI used counterterrorism agents to investigate Occupy Wall Street, “including its communications and planning,” according to newly disclosed (and highly redacted) agency records. It’s the best analysis I’ve seen, and mea culpa for having not seen […]
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The Plot Against Occupy
A worthy piece of reporting over at Rolling Stone, on “how the government turned five stoner misfits into the world’s most hapless terrorist cell,” in the spirit of COINTELPRO. Snip: “Nothing was destined to blow up that night, as it turns out, because the entire plot was actually an elaborate federal sting operation. The case […]
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Rad Power Bikes want to get the world out of their cars and they just may have figured out how to do it
Electric bikes aren’t toys. And they aren’t a fad. In fact, more and more communities are starting to catch on that e-bikes are a lot more than an amusing gadget for the tech geek. Following a six-month study, Johnson County, Kansas, home to many Kansas City suburbs, became just the latest U.S. community to allow […]
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Do double the good with eco-friendly produce bags from a brand that gives back
Whether you’re living in a city that has already taken measures to reduce plastic bag use, the small silver lining of the pandemic has inspired you to make changes, or you’ve already started living a greener lifestyle, reusable produce bags are a great addition to your shopping routine. And if you’re going to invest in […]
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Are you cut out to be a COVID-19 stay-at-home teacher for your kids? Maybe these DIY projects can help.
Dealing with all the COVID-19 fallout is one of the new realities of our ever-changing world — and that isn’t likely going away anytime soon. It’s also prompted a rash of existential questions for parents. Questions like how do I protect my kids? Or how do I soothe their fears? And there’s also one of […]
