2003 Port of Oakland dock protest
{{short description|Anti-war protest in Oakland CA USA}}
On April 7, 2003, in Oakland, California, United States, an anti-war protest occurred at the Port of Oakland. The non-violent protest was organized by Direct Action to Stop the War, a Bay Area peace group, which was protesting against American President Lines, alleging the company shipped arms and supplies for the U.S. military and was profiting from the war on Iraq.{{cite news |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2003/US/West/04/07/sprj.irq.oakland.protest |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030421054711/http://edition.cnn.com/2003/US/West/04/07/sprj.irq.oakland.protest/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 21, 2003 |title=CNN.com - Oakland antiwar protest gets ugly - Apr. 8, 2003 |publisher=CNN |date=April 8, 2003 |accessdate=November 2, 2011}}
The incident
The police fired wooden dowels projectiles, sting balls, concussion grenades, tear gas and other less-lethal weapons when protesters at the gates of two shipping lines at the port refused an order to disperse. Longshoremen and protestors were injured in the exchange.{{cite web|url=http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0407-07.htm |title=Police Violence Shocks Activists, Others at Port of Oakland Protest |work=San Jose Mercury News |date=April 7, 2003 |accessdate=November 2, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111028142625/http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0407-07.htm |archivedate=October 28, 2011 }}
Reverberations
The next month after the incident, on May 13, Direct Action to Stop the War again led a march of anti-war activists and community leaders from the West Oakland BART Station to five port gates, and the event remained peaceful.{{cite news |url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Anti-war-protesters-picketing-at-Port-of-Oakland-2648716.php |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707024839/http://articles.sfgate.com/2003-05-13/bay-area/17488872_1_protesters-police-chief-richard-word-danielle-ashford |url-status=live |archive-date=July 7, 2012 |title=Anti-war protesters picketing at Port of Oakland - SFGate |publisher=SFGate.com |date=May 13, 2003 |access-date=November 20, 2011 |first=Bay |last=City}}{{cite news |title=Oakland dockers honour anti-war picket lines |url=http://libcom.org/news/oakland-dockers-honour-anti-war-picket-lines-22052007 |accessdate=April 25, 2013}}
Criminal charges against 24 activists and one longshoreman were brought and later dropped, and in February, 2005 the Oakland City Council paid $154,000 to 24 people who claimed they were hurt in the demonstration.{{cite news |title=Criminal charges against 24 activists and one longshoreman were brought and later dropped |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20050721/ai_n15826142/?tag=rel.res2 |access-date=2009-06-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425183007/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20050721/ai_n15826142/?tag=rel.res2 |archive-date=2013-04-25 |url-status=dead }} In 2006, The New York Times reported upon an over $2 million settlement for "dozens of payouts" stemming from the incident, the reported size of the awards from the City ranging from $5,000 to $500,000.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/20/national/20port.html |title=Oakland Nears Final Payouts for Protesters Hurt by Police - New York Times |work=The New York Times |date=March 20, 2006 |accessdate=November 2, 2011 |first=Carolyn |last=Marshall}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Port of Oakland dock protest}}
Category:Police brutality in the United States
Category:Protests in the San Francisco Bay Area
Category:Riots and civil disorder in California
Category:Crimes in Oakland, California
Category:Anti-war protests in the United States
Category:Protests against the Iraq War
Category:2003 invasion of Iraq
Category:United States in the Iraq War
Category:April 2003 in the United States