POLICE RIOT

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I'VE BEEN UPSET ALL DAY.

Yesterday the folks camping in front of the Federal Reserve Building (101 Market Street, San Francisco) moved about 200 yards down the street to a little green area next to Justin Herman Plaza. They moved because they were getting hassled by the police and the Department of Public Works, and because the space in front of the Federal Reserve was getting cramped.

Last night the police were sent in, in force. Riot gear. The whole stupid deal. They tore down tarps -- tarps! -- and they threw away the food from the camp kitchen. They beat up a bunch of the folks I've gotten to know from my having gone down there almost every day for the past 16-17 days. I saw their faces on the disturbing video posted (right now, Monday night) at the OccupySF.com website. It's about five minutes long. It shocked me. These people are very decent folks, and their cause is also all of our cause. They are doing their best to keep the areas they occupy neat, orderly. They have teams of people who have divided up tasks, including legal, communications, cleanup, kitchen, etc. You'd be moved if you were to hang out with them (especially if you then saw them getting beaten up by riot police).

Tomorrow there is a regularly scheduled meeting of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. It starts at 2 pm. There is a period for public comment (the starting time for public comment is unpredictable, at the discretion the president of the Board). I am going to be there, and I hope I get a chance to speak. You could come, too. Members of the public are usually given two or three minutes to talk on whatever subject they want.

Sorry for the downbeat mood.

There is an upbeat picture of me posted at the blog I've started with these posts. Some of you on this list don't actually know what I look like. So see if you can guess which of the two guys in the photo is me. See it here:

Good night.