(Update 11:45 a.m.): Across the Bay in Oakland, it appears that the hundreds of protesters in downtown have forced some businesses to close shop for the day. As occupiers traversed the streets, many dressed in black, some were seen banging on windows and generally making lots of noise. So far it seems rather peaceful for Oakland.
(Original story 8 a.m.): An innocuous Occupy rally turned into a scene straight out of Oakland last night when protesters vandalized the hell out of the Mission District, spray-painting cars, scribbling anarchy symbols on buildings, tossing eggs, and smashing windows of businesses, including the police station.
The chaos broke out shortly after 9 p.m. after occupiers marched from Dolores Park through the Mission
District in preparation for today's May Day general strike. But the rally quickly devolved as protesters marched north along Valencia, damaging whatever was in front of them.
Needless to say, businesses aren't happy about what happened last night, and are pointing fingers at Occupy.
"This just seems like they're frustrated with their impotency at this
point," Jeremy Tooker, owner of Four Barrel Coffee, told the Chron as he wiped paint from his business. "It's like, 'Look at me, I'm still here, I'm still
occupying.'"
Police in riot gear patrolled the area even after protesters dispersed at Folsom and 12th streets just after 11 p.m. When it was all said and done, only one person was hauled off to jail, said Sgt. Daryl Fong.
Occupiers immediately turned to the blogosphere last night to clear the group of any wrongdoing. As one occupier names Scott wrote on his blog last night: "I believe we were hijacked and it was an utter clusterfuck."
The fun isn't over yet. There will be plenty more protesting to come through the day as occupiers and labor groups rally for the widespread May Day action.
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