I didn’t know anything was going on until I heard helicopters outside. A bunch of people on Telegraph, split into two groups, with cops and empty street between them.
Police helicopter. There were two of them, one with only running lights and one with a spotlight.They had the little parking enforcement cars blocking streets from vehicle access.Approaching Telegraph on Bancroft.Urban Outfitters already all plywooded up.News crew.Lots and lots of masks and batons right at the edge of campus.Spotlight helicopter.Looking over their heads down Telegraph.Looks like a boss man, well back from the front line.Here was the scary part. Smoke and loud bangs down the street. Not loud like a gunshot, loud like a firework.They broke their formation on this side and moved a block and a half farther in on Telegraph.Someone being put into a huge bus-like paddy wagon after the first breakup.Vans were numbered with a team of police. Here a bunch of vehicles are moving into the space between the protestors.And this huge scary army car.Another team.The paddy wagon bus.Another labeled van.Another.Van full of cops. Also visible in the back is their shuttle.Some wore jeans and T-shirts.Police moving somewhere else.Farther down on Telegraph, cops already wearing gas masks.Big man with a shotgun.This lady was in charge for a while. She gave the order “Doff! Doff! Do it safely!” and the cops took off their gas masks.This guy slouching on the bike rack had a gas canister launcher. Some others had bigger launchers, revolver-style. The other line of cops is in the background.One of the officers on the front line turned her head back and said, “Sarge, we got a 459 in the van. No, I mean in the van. They’re inside!” They forced us back half a block to reach the van, which had been behind us.The line got a lot slacker and people were leaving.The big death car was labeled “Hayward Police Department.”This one too.This one too.They called a tow truck into the center area with all the vehicles, but I couldn’t see why.A second tow truck with a flat bed was called in for the wrecked van.Van being hauled away.Helicopter still flying.Second night, a big march. Walking down Shattuck.Police barricade on MLK. I think they got there just before the march did.It was pretty mellow, there was just one twitchy cop quick with a baton on the barrier.They had a further blockade up ahead on Center.That’s when the spotlight copter appeared again.Big peaceful assembly in front of the Civic Center.Nearly full moon.There was briefly a cloud ahead as the march again approached Shattuck. We walked through it and it wasn’t tear gas.Fourth night.Berkeley PD near Civic Center Park.Facing the police station.Helicopter circling.Long march down Telegraph.Someone set up a projector.Cops guarding the onramps.Approaching an overpass, sudden police show of force. Loud sirens and engines.The block was insufficient and the march found a way around.Another ghostly projection.Here enough managed to get on top to stop traffic. Someone set off a firework.Silhouettes of the police after they chased everyone off. They shot at protestors (presumably less-lethals) from the bridge.
Chanting “our streets!” Loud siren underneath the overpass.
