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| Protest cost $93,000 for Berkeley PD OT |
| 2008-02-17 |
| Berkeley spent $93,000 on police overtime to control the Marines protest outside City Hall Tuesday, a city official said. About 140 Berkeley police officers worked at the protest, which drew more than 2,000 demonstrators from around the country, said Mary Kay Clunies-Ross, public information officer. There were four arrests, all misdemeanors. The protest was over the City Council's Jan. 29 statement that the Marines, who have a recruitment center downtown, are "unwelcome intruders." After 3 1/2 hours of public comment and debate, the council voted early Wednesday to back down from the statement. To prevent similar controversies in the future, City Councilman Gordon Wozniak has proposed that every item submitted by the Peace and Justice Commission - where the Marines statement originated - undergo two readings by the council. Usually commission items need one reading. Peace and Justice commissioners were not happy with the idea. "It's like he's trying to legislate himself to read what's on his own agenda," said the commission's former president, Steven Freedkin. Meanwhile, protests continue at the recruiting center on Shattuck Square. About 50 people from Code Pink and World Can't Wait blocked the center entrance for several hours Friday and then marched to UC Berkeley, a block away. There were no arrests. |
| Posted by:Pappy |
| #10 Yep...Berkeley indeed got ripped off. And it looks as if again, Councilman Wozniak is the lone voice of reason. He has my full support and sympathy. |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2008-02-17 14:38 |
| #9 I think their police are highly overpaid then. Most of this most likely went into lining the "overseer's" pockets. Glad to see the Berkeley government is corrupt as anywhere else. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-02-17 14:10 |
| #8 The words are 'self inflicted wound'. Among adult societies it's severely frowned upon and usually is accompanied by punishment. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2008-02-17 08:59 |
| #7 They should apply for disaster relief funds. If their City Council is not a disaster I don't know the meaning of the word. |
| Posted by: regular joe 2008-02-17 08:14 |
| #6 zombietime photos of protest / A very pathetic parade. Wacky old aunts in funny hats, senile old men, confused and angry teens collected by paid organizers and given a green light to act tough. Lines of cops who seem to be standing off against nothing. You almost feel sorry for the drug addled hippies and the perpetual wacky wall-flower pinkos. |
| Posted by: Grailing and Tenille1838 2008-02-17 05:42 |
| #5 "Local Dunkin Donuts Reports Windfall" |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-02-17 05:26 |
| #4 Berkeley spent $93,000 on police overtime to control the Marines protest outside City Hall Tuesday, a city official said From the looks of things, the good citizens of Berkeley did not get their money's worth. Two thousand demonstrators is not exactly a big huge deal. I'd want an accounting of why it cost so much for so little if I lived there. $93,000 for the police to stand around on overtime and watch the crowds? Please. |
| Posted by: Grailing and Tenille1838 2008-02-17 04:50 |
| #3 JFM, apparently the Peace and Justice Commission is an "untreated" branch of their sewer system |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-02-17 04:49 |
| #2 Probelms is: on what ground a fricking city councuil has a Peace and Justice commission? On what ground are they expending tax player's money on this toy instead of on, say, improving the sewer network? |
| Posted by: JFM 2008-02-17 03:14 |
| #1 $93k, eh? This gives me an idea. |
| Posted by: gorb 2008-02-17 01:48 |