Police Break Out the Bad in Berkeley

Protests against police brutality have turned violent in Berkeley, California, as officers are resorting to rubber bullets, flash bang grenades and tear gas in a tense standoff with demonstrators demanding justice.

  RT

Berkeley, of course, was the scene of tumultous protests against the Viet Nam war.  In the last few decades the police brutality and riotous protests have been across the bay in Oakland. I am truly surprised we aren’t seeing reports of police violence there, because there have indeed been protests that included property vandalism and arrests.  Yesterday, they shut down West Oakland BART station.

The protesters took to the streets to express their anger over a series of high-profile incidences involving the death of black Americans at the hands of white police officers - all of whom were cleared of any wrongdoing by the courts.

According to police, some of the protesters took to more violent methods of expression.

[...]

Police then moved on unmasked protesters at a busy intersection, commanding them to move away. When their orders went unheeded, the police tossed tear gas canisters into the crowd, with some of the protesters hurling the tear gas back at the police.

[...]

Protests have erupted across the country in Philadelphia, Chicago, Las Vegas[, Detroit] and dozens of other cities. In New York, where a fourth consecutive day of rallies took place, several dozen people participated in a mock “die-in” at Grand Central Station, as well as conducting protests inside shops on Times Square. There were no reports of arrests.

Meanwhile, in Seattle, several hundred people assembled at police headquarters Saturday, which resulted in a small group of protesters hurling rocks at police. Seven of the protesters were arrested.

In Portland, Oregon, a throng of peaceful yet passionate protesters entered the Justice Center building, shouting “Justice,” before moving to a shopping mall, where the chant turned to “Don’t shoot” and “Black lives matter.”

And in France...

PARIS (RNN/CNN) - Protesters in Paris took to the Trocadero across the Seine River from the Eiffel Tower on Saturday to protest police brutality in the U.S.

The demonstration was in response to recent cases in which white police officers were absolved in the deaths of two unarmed black men.

[...]

French teen Edouard Brofman watched and filmed video of the demonstration.

Brofman said he saw people from all over the world protesting and holding signs in support of the victims.

  WNEM