Quan Loses Patience with Occupy
Mayor's tougher stance comes as she faces multiple recall efforts
On Monday evening, while Occupy protesters were celebrating shutting down the Port of Oakland, Mayor Jean Quan and her press secretary, Sue Piper, were reviewing the statement Quan would give to reporters about the demonstration.
In her prepared remarks, Quan intended to “thank everybody” for keeping the protest peaceful, Piper said.
But 10 minutes before the press conference was set to begin, Quan received word that the protesters had voted to attempt another shutdown early on Tuesday.
Her mood darkened instantly.
“She said, ‘I can’t say this, not when I see what they just decided to do,’” Piper said.
Quan tossed out the prepared statement, then stepped before the cameras and improvised her remarks.
The protesters are holding "this community hostage," a visibly angry Quan told reporters. “People have to think about who they are hurting."
Piper said the mayor stands by what she said.
“What she said came from her heart,” Piper said. “It’s a growing concern about the Occupy Oakland movement.”
Quan’s comments marked a dramatic shift: From the moment Occupy Oakland set up tents in the plaza, Quan tried to show her support for the group, even as she failed to convince the protesters to leave their City Hall encampment peacefully.
In public statements about the protest, she would often say of her city, “We are the 99 percent.”
But after authorizing a police raid on the Occupy encampment and then allowing protesters to set up tents again, Quan came under fire from business owners, police and residents. Officers complained that her indecisiveness put them at risk; businesses complained that she was not an effective leader; and residents were angry that the cash-strapped city spent more than $3 million on policing and other costs related to the protest.
Now Quan’s stance against Occupy appears to be hardening, as she confronts a multi-pronged effort to drive her from office. Last week, the city clerk certified one of three recall campaigns against the mayor, allowing Quan’s opponents to gather signatures to put a measure to oust her on the ballot.
Gene Hazzard, the politically active, left-leaning photographer for the Oakland Post newspaper, began one of the recall movements before the Occupy protests began. His campaign has focused on a controversial political appointment that Quan made to the Port of Oakland commission.
Earlier this year, the mayor decided not to reappoint Port Commissioner Margaret Gordon, a respected, veteran environmental activist from West Oakland, and instead tapped Jakada Imani for the job. Imani runs the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, an Oakland-based civil rights nonprofit.
It was a move that riled some old-guard black activists including Hazzard, who accused Quan of pitting the African-American community against itself. (Both Gordon and Imani are black.) Imani eventually withdrew himself from consideration for the post, saying he was disillusioned by the political skirmishing that erupted over his nomination.
His withdrawal has failed to pacify Hazzard, who said the mayor is a respectable legislator but lacks leadership ability.
“Is she a good cheerleader? Yes,” Hazzard said. “But you can’t take a cheerleader and put her on the football field calling plays.”
Hazzard said he would enlist business and church leaders — many of whom supported former state Sen. Don Perata against Quan in 2010 — to collect the approximately 20,000 signatures needed by next May to put the recall petition on the November 2012 Oakland ballot.
Frank Snapp
The protestors are NOT holding anyone hostage; but holding billionaires hostage would be a good idea as it is they who are holding the 99.999% (really) hostage in a thousand ways. Time for the guillotines, at least figuratively and confrontationally speaking--"chop from the top", not for the protestors, Jean, but for the billionaires to whom your "working within the system" mentality most pointedly and ever more obviously serves.
Robert Montgomery
Sorry Frank, the protesters are holding the citizens of Oakland hostage by requiring babysitting by the police. Their past behavior makes it clear that they can't be left alone or ignored. And that costs money. Every day.
nandro n
Causing violence and threatening violence if their demands are not met IS by definition holding the city hostage. They took over downtown Oakland and made it impossible for any of the local businesses to operate. They also have hijacked the ports and tried to prevent them from operating their legal businesses.
Oh and please identify the Oakland-based "billionaires" whom Quan is fighting for... I would love to hear this. Its a ridiculous statement.
nandro n
all billionaires? Is Bill Gates holding you hostage? Is Larry Ellison holding you hostage? This is another specious argument that in reality amounts to little more than populist writhings.
Paul S
What a complete mess throughout. I'm not a supporter of Quan, but the more I read the more complex and ugly the Oakland political landscape looks. When incompetent leadership and bitter political infighting extends even into the Recall movement, that's when you know the whole thing is a disgusting mess.
joel w
Thank you Mayor Quan. Politicians need to gather the courage to stand up against OWS. We people out here are not all part of the 99% and we don't believe that good is coming from the OWS movement. We are peaceful and want change but Democratic change, not militant protests.
It's anti-Democratic to split us into 99 and 1 percent. Not all of the 1% is bad and not all 99% are good. We are 100% for the better or the worse. That is Democracy. People like me, who don't like to shout and make a scene, will be coming forward as we tire of seeing this mess. America will be reminded of what a Democracy really is. We can change the system by participation, negotiating, and joining our representatives at town halls and round tables. The days of occupation, camping out in sleeping bags, and waving rally signs that look like mob mentality or like someone is on a witch hunt need to end now. Go Mayor Quan, and may the rest of our elected officials join you and represent the majority who doesnt like to shout and camp out an be divisive.
Susan Hall
'We can change the system by participation, negotiating, and joining our representatives at town halls and round tables.'
Joel W you are naive.
joel w
I love it! thanks for reading anyway Susan. I know it. But the alternative is not OWS, it's Civil War. Or just sliding on down into a 3rd world country. Personally, I think we are 2 years from becoming a country with a supreme ruling elite and an oppressed and impoverished population. But isn't it nice to dream otherwise?
"Michelle Kohlhaas"
"Not all of the 1% is bad and not all 99% are good."
Typical straw man argument. "Who is bad" was never the point of OWS. Their point was to draw attention to the vulnerabilities faced by the 99%, as they lose money and thereby power to the 1%. Their point was to draw attention to the vast gulf between the 1% and the 99%. Their point, on many occasions, was accountability, fairness, justice.
Only a simpleton, or someone awfully disingenuous, would claim it was otherwise.
And for indecisiveness alone, Quan should go. The issue isn't her politics, but her incompetence.
Robert Montgomery
Michelle, why is it that you taint your well made argument with a personal attack each time you post? It takes away from your well thought out comments even if I don't agree with all of them.
nandro n
Regardless of their point, they caused serious harm to small businesses in downtown Oakland. Some have shut-down as a result of the protests. They also caused actual property damage during the violent protest that occurred a few weeks ago. Finally, they are interfering and attempting to disrupt a law-abiding enterprise (the Oakland port) and in the process depriving people of their livelihoods.
Sorry but the ends don't justify the means. Just because you have a righteous cause does not entitle you to harm others. And make no mistake, OO has caused actual harm to quite a few people in Oakland. They have alienated a pretty progressive city with their reckless and thoughtless actions that have in the end put more than a dozen small business in downtown Oakland on the verge of bankruptcy.
Mark Fritzel
I am highly critical of Mayor Quan, but I honestly can't see what she's done that warrants a recall.
I support Occupy Oakland, but in spite of Quan's mistakes, removing her would not be a victory. Whoever replaces her will surely be less responsive to the Occupy movement. And Oakland does not need a revolving door in the mayor's office.
Ultimately, Occupy is going to have to cooperate with SOMEONE in office to make progress. I hope they realize that Quan has been one of their better bets for cooperation.
June Ko-Dial
Unbelievable! i am part of the 99% but being an activist, i DO NOT agree with the methods, or lack thereof, of OO, and i am not alone, by far. this last stunt at the Port, while impressive, achieved nothing but more anger towards OO. that demonstration did NOTHING to the 1% and hurt many workers financially during a struggling environment and the holidays.
yes, your argument is someone is going to get hurt to prove a point, then it should be you, who chose to protest. hold your protests at the big banks! stop their business! that makes so much more sense!
and recall Mayor Quan because she originally wanted to support the OO but realize that wasn't a good idea, so she changed her mind!! how many Mayors make mistakes! Hello!! How many Mayors have gone in to the tougher neighborhoods and are getting them to know each other which will take back the neighborhoods and begin cutting down on crime. we have never had a Mayor that works as hard for us than Mayor Quan and you want to recall her after less than a year!
that's ridiculous!! is your name going to be on the ballot to run for Mayor since you can do a better job? and then blame her when more schools close because this joke of a recall is not only a distraction but will cost our already financially strapped city over a million dollars for NO REASON! DO YOU CARE ABOUT THAT? i honestly doubt it!
Mayor Quan ran a grass roots campaign and went door to door, and we are still behind her because we are involved in trying to help our city, not hurt it, not sit back and spew negatives! what was the last committee that you volunteered to help on, of the many committees that are listed weekly in her newsletter. do you read her weekly newsletter to stay involved with what is happening in Oakland, politically, events in all neighborhoods, etc.? i doubt it.
this whole thing is a waste of time, major money and a joke and angers me royally!!! to be effective the OO needs to get it together, get organize and make a difference without hurting the 99% so bad, then more people would get behind them.
and knock off this ridiculous recall and let Mayor Quan continue working hard for Oakland, as she will, without thinking about this joke.
"Michelle Kohlhaas"
Regardless of what anyone thinks of OO, Mayor Quan has proved to be anything but competent.
Absentee governance is not acceptable. The recall will be supported by a large number of those who support OO, and by those who do not. Quan is simply not a credible leader.
June Ko-Dial
the last thing Mayor Quan is, is incompetent. she is one of the hardest workers in this entire city!!! she made one mistake by trying to go along with the OO tent city only to realize that is was a dirty, dangerous situation that was no good for the city and it's people. you have never made a mistake?
excuse me, i didn't see the name of the committee that your on to be involved in our city and help out, or that you even keep up to date with what is going on in the city by receiving the Mayor's weekly, very informative newsletter.
so your name will be on the ballot to run for Mayor, since you know how to run a city that will be about 30 million short, from a useless recall election!
Mayor Quan was at a meeting in Washington that was scheduled months before, like it would go down any different if she hadn't been at her scheduled meeting.
Vic Ashley
"business and church leaders — many of whom supported former state Sen. Don Perata against Quan in 2010"
Wow, they need to wake up.
With instant runoff voting, the fake candidates like Perata, who used to be able to buy their way in (something businesses and some churches understand), will not stand a chance of winning.
But Quan made all the wrong moves with Occupy Oakland. Trying to quash it at every turn only grows it, and it grows because each day more and more people are out of work, out of healthcare, out of a home, out of money and on the streets. Quashing a movement of people who have been robbed by corporate thugs can never work, and only a corporate-funded politician could imagine that would.
Trying to blame that movement will never work. Those casting blame on homeless, on activists, on people seeking justice, will soon enough find that they are in the same boat with less and less to survive on.
Vote out the corporate owned Ds and Rs. A real candidate for mayor for the *people* of Oakland would take no corporate donations (i.e., Green Party, Peace and Freedom, etc).
nandro n
actually she tried to support it until they turned violent... This isn't about homelessness or healthcare. Its about VIOLENCE. These are violent people. They engage in violence (fires, riots, destruction) and refuse to denounce violence. They also cause purposeful economic harm to local emloyers and interets....
Unforgivable. They should not be allowed room to breathe here. If they want to peacefully protest or march fine, but you cross the line when you riot or when you try and shut-down law abiding businesses and enterprises.
Gambolin' Man
Would someone please explain to me why Berkeley Occupy is not in the news, has never been in the news, and the city government and police seem to have a totally laid-back laissez-faire attitude toward the unsightly encampment. . .what am I missing?
R T
It is not in the news because the political powers in Berkeley are too afraid to say anything or they completely support the thing, making it a non-issue as far as they are concerned. Size probably is also a factor.
nandro n
"The protesters are holding this community hostage"
I can't think of a more apt statement to describe the situation.
My only question is why did it take her this long to come to this realization? She spent weeks trying to appease their unreasonable demands, despite not 1 but 2 separate episodes of rioting and violence.
Quan should resign. Her lack of strength and leadership is unforgivable as a mayor. Her temperament and attitude suggest she is best suited for city council rather than an executive position.
Michael Boyd
"recall Mayor Quan because she originally wanted to support the OO but realize that wasn't a good idea, so she changed her mind!!"
Exactly! Who do you want Quan to support the protestors or the cops? If she supports the cops she's got to go...bottom line.
I've been having a little discussion via e-mail with the City of Oakland and Mayor I'd like to share:
From: Michael Boyd
Subject: Re: Final Response to Public Records Request #7551 NOT TO: Notice to Correct or Cure Violations of the Brown Open Meeting Act by the Oakland City Council and Mayor on November 9 to take the following unlawfully noticed action ”Occupy Oakland must go!”
To: "KarenBoyd" <KBoyd@oaklandnet.com>
Cc: "ArletteFlores-Medina" <AFlores@oaklandcityattorney.org>, swalter@baycitizen.org,
Date: Friday, December 9, 2011, 8:20 PM
Karen,
This appears to be a response to the records act request not a response to my Notice to Correct or Cure Violations of the Brown Act. If you are denying the City violated the Brown Act you need to tell me in writting that is the City's Final Response and under what statutory authority you can make such a response in the place of the City of Oakland Council or Mayor who I copied on this notice. I am asking for a meeting before the City where the City rescinds its November 9 , 2011 unlawful action, and subsequent actions taken in violation Occupy Oakland protestors' Constitutional rights under color state law, in this case the Brown Open Meeting Act.
I do not seek to repay evil with evil but to give thought to what is noble in the sight of all. I don't see this as anything more than an opportunity to balance the scales of justice and I am concerned that come Monday with the 12/12/11 port shutdown the City will confront protestors with riot police; compounding the City's violations of federal civil rights under color of state law.
In the internal e-mails I received in response to my CPRA request I sense that the City Council is supportive but at the same time afraid of Occupy Oakland. I am here to tell you that fear is your biggest enemy; not Occupy Oakland.
What I see as your biggest fear is people camping out with tents. Why is this; is it because the First Amendment of the US Constitution says you can not assemble in tents when you are between the hours of 10 PM to 6 AM? Once again this is because of fear; in this case the fear is of the homeless. Why do you fear the homeless? Is it because the homeless sleep outside in violation of state law? Did you know the right to sleep is a fundamental right protected under international law and UN Declarations? So my conclusion is you are denying protestors lawful rights to assemble in tents during the hours of 10 PM to 6 AM under color state law to violate their federal civil rights, because you fear the homeless, and you violated the Brown Act.
My degree is in Physics and I am an engineer by profession. To assess the risk associated with any failure mode you are best to always error on the side of precaution. This is what is called the precautionary principal in risk assessment. In my observation the City has incurred a high cost to bring in riot police to contain the purported risk to "health and safety" without making clear whose health and safety is at risk. Is the City Council's health and safety at risk? Is City Hall at risk? Is the surrounding community at risk? Maybe it is the occupants of the Occupy Oakland protestor? If this is the case there are clearly less costly methods to contain the risk to "health and safety". For example the City could assign both a male and female police officer [without the riot gear] 24/7 at the Occupy Oakland encampment and 2 each City maintenance workers to deal with all these so-called risks without the need to confront the lawful protestors with riot police which costs much more and creates greater animosity between all involved. And how about opening up the rest rooms to the Occupy Oakland protestors and assigning security staff to keep an eye on City Hall 24/7? I am sure there are many talented folks in City Hall that have their own creative ideas in this regard.
So now lets talk a little about the City's response to Occupy Oakland. Following the unlawful meeting of November 9, 2011 the City brought in a phalanx of riot police to clear out Oscar Grant Plaza of Occupy Oakland protestors and their tents.
I do not live in Oakland and I haven't been to Occupy Oakland ever. I read about the unlawful meeting on November 9, 2011 in the Oakland Tribune. No member of the City Council denied they had participated as reported in the newspaper to my CPRA request in the meeting.
Finally you stated that "Press conferences are exempt from the Brown Act under 54952.2 (c)2, and therefore there is no agenda." I am not challenging any ones right to call a press conference or issue any type of press release. I am challenging the action taken by the five members who constituted a quorum of the City Council who took unlawful action by voting 5-0-0 that "Occupy Oakland Must Go". It is the action taken which we would have required the 72 hours notice and and agenda not the press conference itself. If the City had just held the Press Conference [with just the 4 members listed on the press release] with out taking any action as a quorum of the City Council there wouldn't have been any issue with violation of the Brown Act.
Finally I want to make clear to you and the Council and the Mayor that I come in peace not to destroy you but to save you from your fears. You must not be afraid since that makes you act irrationally. My mother used to always tell me when I screwed something up as I made excuses for what I did wrong "honey you know your just digging yourselves in deeper". So please do not fight me but admit that you are human and we all make mistakes. That's how we learn and get better. Often times you have to screw it up first that's all.
Respectfully,
Michael E. Boyd President
CAlifornians for Renewable Energy, Inc.
(CARE)
From: Boyd, Karen <KBoyd@oaklandnet.com>
Subject: Final Response to Public Records Request #7551
To: michaelboyd@sbcglobal.net
Cc: "Flores-Medina, Arlette"
Date: Friday, December 9, 2011, 6:02 PM
Signed letter also attached
CITY of OAKLAND
ONE FRANK H. OGAWA PLAZA · 3RD FLOOR · OAKLAND , CALIFORNIA 94612
Office of the City Administrator
Deanna J. Santana
City Administrator
December 9, 2011
Michael Boyd
SENT VIA EMAIL
Subject: Regular Public Records Request – Final Response
Date of Request: November 29, 2011, Public Records ID #7551
Dear Mr. Boyd:
This is to respond to your online public records request # 7551 which stated the following:
Please provide any documentation you have in your possession regarding what the San Francisco Bay Guardian identified as the “Police Executive Research Forum. . .that has been coordinating conference calls with major metropolitan mayors and police chiefs to advise them on policing matters and discuss response to the Occupy movement.” Please provide any documentation you have in your possession regarding any PERF-coordinated November 10 conference call with city police chiefs across the country – and many of these cities undertook crackdowns shortly afterward.
The City Administrator’s Office does not possess any records regarding a PERF-coordinated November 10 conference call.
Your request also stated:
Please provide me any documents in your possession regarding the November 11 NOTICE OF VIOLATIONS AND DEMAND TO CEASE VIOLATIONS TO PERSONS STAYING OVERNIGHT IN FRANK OGAWA PLAZA.
In a conversation we had by telephone yesterday where I sought clarification of this portion of your request, you told me that you were alleging that the news conference hosted by City Council President Larry Reid on November 9 included a quorum of the City Council, and you stated that this represented a meeting that was not properly noticed. You told me you were seeking a City Council agenda for that November 9 “meeting” where the Notice of Violations and Demand to Cease Violations would have been discussed and the Council would have taken action.
Press conferences are exempt from the Brown Act under 54952.2 (c)2, and therefore there is no agenda. Furthermore, the notice and subsequent removal of the encampment was ordered by the City Administrator under her City Charter powers and not by the City Council. Therefore the documents you described in our telephone conversation do not exist.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me at (510) 238-6365 or kboyd@oaklandnet.com.
Sincerely,
Karen L. Boyd
Assistant to the City Administrator
cc: Arlette Flores-Medina, Open Government Coordinator, Office of the City Attorney
Public Records Request File
Duane Savage
That's what you get for pandering to them, Quan.
John Iversen
Jean Quan should have waited 15 minutes to sort things out before she spoke. Economic violence against the City? I think the major economic violence is systemic and directed from
Wall St. Then there is state terrorism, for which Homeland Security and many local PDs, which broke up about 20 Occcupies two weeks ago.
But, Don Perata and Ignacio de la fuente are far worse. IDLF displayed his approvaql of the arson of the needle exchange bldg in his district 10 years ago. He either did it himself, hired people, had the police do it, and if none of these are true he certainly is responsible for creating the environment for the arson to happen. Are we still really sure he lives in his district? I think his relatives might, but I heard he lives out near Golf Links Rd.
Quan is the first mayor in many years who is not a developer's tool.