Occupy Oakland Gone Bad

In the past six months the Occupy Wall Street protest has intrigued people around the globe and encourage them to stand up against corporate. While corporate greed has been a problem it was not directed at the correct people. In addition to this a weak economy provides for difficult times and inhibits the job market from being having a more positive outlook. Recently Oakland protesters threw objects at police including, but not limited to rocks, lit flares, bottles, and pipes. The Associated Press and CNN report on this:

Oakland police used tear gas and flash grenades Saturday to break up hundreds of Occupy protesters after some demonstrators started throwing rocks and flares at officers and tearing down fencing. (AP)

Occupy activists tossed pipes, bottles, burning flares and other objects Saturday at Oakland police, who responded by using tear gas and smoke grenades and arresting 19 demonstrators, police said. (CNN Wire Staff)

What hasn't been recognized is that Occupy Oakland is then providing significant dangers to both the police but also to the citizens around them who aren't protesting. After announcing their plan to seize a vacant building they sent a letter to the city hall stating:

If police prevent the seizure, the protesters warned Wednesday, they will take further actions. Possibilities include future blockades of Oakland International Airport, the Port of Oakland or City Hall, according to a letter to the city from Occupy Oakland. (Bulwa, Demian; San Francisco Chronicle)

Whatever change they are looking for it will not happen if you blockade the international airport, the city hall, or any other location. There are people in those locations who have jobs in which their paychecks put food on the table for their children, allow for them to get an education, and help improve safety for the United States. There are many other things that are being disrupted by protesting these issues. The police are there to protect the people and make sure our rights are protected. If they have things thrown at them, they aren't supposed to just stand there and take it. So what do the locals think:

You're making the damn revolution playing tag with OPD every Saturday night, vandalizing businesses, encouraging arson and you want the city to call of the cops so you can do that unencumbered?! But I didn't laugh cause I was just too pissed off." (Community Voice)

There are numerous consequences for these actions including danger to the surrounding locations due to the arson (people's homes, small businesses, etc.) and at a cost to the business itself creating a risk of lost jobs due to unexpected costs. Instead of protesting, go to the capitol, petition with your representatives, create a bill, do something that might actually directly cause change/ 

19 Occupy activists arrested in Oakland after clashing with police
Oakland Police Use Tear Gas on Occupy ProtestersOccupy Oakland and Me: Breakin' Up is hard to do (Community voices)
Occupy Oakland Says it Will Seize Vacant Building