‘US uses heavy tactics to curb protests’

The report issued on Monday by an outside monitor said that Oakland police officers, in the US state of California, had used “an overwhelming military-type response” to disperse Occupy demonstrators, Reuters reported.

“We have viewed many official and unofficial video clips of the Occupy Oakland-related incidents,” the report said, adding that “these recordings lead us to ask additional questions as the level of force that was used by OPD officers, and whether that use of force was in compliance with the Department’s use of force policies.”

The report concluded that a member of the Oakland police willingly opened fire on a former Marine and Iraq war veteran, Scott Olsen, critically injuring him as he took part in demonstrations with the 99-percenters back in October.

The report has been issued one day before anti-Wall Street protesters organized a coordinated nationwide general strike on May Day to protest against corporate greed and economic inequalities.

Meanwhile, New York City Council members, along with supporters of the Occupy Wall Street movement, have filed a lawsuit charging US police of using excessive force against the protesters.

Occupy Wall Street activists are calling Tuesday their “coming out party” and the start of their spring resurgence, after the cold weather and evictions obliged many to stay home over the winter.

The Occupy Wall Street movement began when a group of demonstrators gathered in New York’s financial district on September 17, 2011 to protest against corruption, the unjust distribution of wealth in the country, and the excessive influence of big corporations on US policies.

GMA/JR

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