Several anti-war protesters were reported injured this morning
after police fired rubber bullets in an attempt to disperse about
750 demonstrators who were blocking access to a shipping company?s
offices.
The incident marks the first use of rubber bullets by police
against anti-war protesters since the Bush administration?s March
19 invasion of Iraq, reports Reuters.
Activists were protesting in front of the headquarters of
American President Lines, which they claim is profiting from the
Iraq invasion. Oakland Police spokeswoman Danielle Ashford told
Reuters the shots were fired after the crowd refused to disperse.
?We gave our dispersal order, we gave them an order, we gave them
plenty of time to disperse,? she said.
According to a Reuters photographer on the scene, police
continued to fire on about 150 demonstrators who remained after the
initial burst of shots. The status of the injured protesters,
believed to be longshoremen, was not immediately known.
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