Occupy Oakland Cleared From Snow Park

Police cleared an Occupy Oakland encampment from Snow Park early Monday morning, leaving Oakland without any Occupy encampment for the first time since Oct. 26.      

According to protesters at the scene, about 10 to 15 tents were still pitched in Snow Park when dozens of officers arrived shortly after midnight, and the camp was cleared quickly and peacefully.
      
Protesters were allowed to stay in Snow Park, on 19th Street overlooking Lake Merritt, following a police raid on the main camp at Frank Ogawa Plaza early on Nov. 14.

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan said in a statement Saturday that the campers at Snow Park had pledged to remain non-violent and were permitted to stay temporarily.

She said that the camp would be closed on Sunday.

Protesters had occupied Frank Ogawa Plaza with a tent city starting on Oct. 10, and as that camp grew, some protesters moved to Snow Park to establish a second encampment.

The Snow Park encampment was raided along with Frank Ogawa Plaza on Oct. 25, an action that sparked massive protests later that night when protesters attempted to return to the plaza.

Police kept protesters at bay with tear gas, rubber bullets and
smoke grenades.

After the police response drew international attention, protesters were allowed to return to both sites the following day.

Increasing pressure from the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, vandalism in the area, and a fatal shooting near the encampment on Nov. 10 led police to return to clear the encampment again last week.

Protesters on Saturday sought to establish a new encampment in a vacant lot near the corner of 19th Street and Telegraph Avenue, but were evicted by police Sunday morning.