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Berkeley protests: Undercover police officer pulls gun after being caught infiltrating group and instigating looting and violence

Jessica Glenza
The Guardian
Fri, 12 Dec 2014 04:45 UTC

Plainclothes California highway patrol officers have walked among demonstrators for weeks, report stated

An undercover California highway patrol officer who had infiltrated protests against police violence in Oakland pulled a gun on demonstrators after his and his partner's cover was blown.

Screen shot of two undercovers. This is 6 secs into video, before gun cop pulls mask back up. https://t.co/AXtSbos9HZ pic.twitter.com/1WPGrSwH3N
- Dave Id (@DaveId) December 11, 2014

According to accounts in the San Francisco Chronicle and the Berkeley Daily Planet, a few dozen protesters remaining from larger demonstrations yelled that two men in plainclothes were police.

"Just as we turned up 27th Street, the crowd started yelling at these two guys, saying they were undercover cops," the Chronicle's freelance photographer Michael Short told the newspaper on Thursday.

Comment: As these Twitter reports show, these very same cops were the ones instigating for violence and looting among the protesters:

Many folks said the cops were hitting windows minutes earlier- look at the tools in his hands, esp. his gun hand. pic.twitter.com/ptaMoufnKD
- Naxos Brigantessa (@NaxosNico) December 11, 2014

@Federal_flashes @DaveId those are the ones who were hitting bank windows before T-Mobile got looted! #berkeleyprotests
- CxD (@CRTNBYDSTRCTN) December 11, 2014

UNDERCOVER COPS in march just exposed - they were instigators of looting. Pulled gun on protestors when discovered. #berkeleyprotests
- Morpheus Ravenna (@MorpheusRavenna) December 11, 2014

Comment: This is nothing new. Police have been infiltrating peaceful protests for years and instigated violence and looting. But with the atmosphere already heated of late and people very angry at police, it's no surprise they were attacked when discovered. It's also not surprising that the California Highway Patrol, whom the undercover officers worked for, told reporters in a conference call that the officers "followed procedure", that he "pulled his badge" and identified himself, and that the officer "didn't target a person's head". That last statement is totally false just based on a few of the pictures taken of the incident.

The Berkeley Daily Planet reported that the two men tried to walk away, but the couple of dozen remaining protesters "persisted, screaming at the two undercover cops". The Planet said that an officer "pushed a protester aside". The demonstrator allegedly pushed back and was tackled and handcuffed.

"Somebody snatched a hat off the shorter guy's head and he was fumbling around for it. A guy ran up behind him, knocked him down on the ground. That guy jumped backed up and chased after him and tackled him and the crowd began surging on them," Short said.

He told the Chronicle that the officer pulled a small baton out, then a gun, after the crowd started "surging" them. The Planet reported that more officers quickly moved in to disperse demonstrators.

In a stunning admission, the patrol's Golden Gate Division told the San Francisco Chronicle that officers had been dressing like and walking with protesters since the first demonstration on 24 November, attempting to gather intelligence to stop highway shutdowns.

Comment: Their purpose for infiltrating the group is not about stopping highway shutdowns. They are instigating violence and looting so that the larger public will demand that police take care of the problem. That is the purpose of the agent provocateur, and it's something that agencies around the world have used for years. It should be no surprise that the bosses of the undercover officers back them up, they're probably telling these guys what to do.

Protesters have flooded the streets of the San Francisco Bay area for weeks, since grand juries in New York and Missouri refused to indict police officers for shooting unarmed black men. Many protests have shut down highways, and some in Berkeley have turned violent, resulting in fires and looting.

Reader Comments

Winston Smith · 2014-12-13T06:22:27Z

As I have said before.....

..... and will say here again: "Pigs will be pigs." Especially in the fascist Neo-Amerikkka.

Many, if not most police are just inveterate bullies with badges. A bunch of power-hungry, ultra-selfish assholes in uniform. Or worse, they are sadists, some of whom rise to the level of true cold-blooded killers looking for a legal way to get their murderous rocks off. And all with the blessings and 100% support of the evil leaders of our nation, both in governance and in the MSM.

No wonder these types of cops align themselves with the psychopathic PTB so completely. They are MORE than eager to enthusiastically (and violently!) carry out the nefarious plans of repression of legitimate non-violent dissent against our citizenry that our evil overlords have in store for anyone who calls into question the oppressive blood-sucking, thieving, murderous status quo of modern Western 'civilization'.

Police as 'protectors' of democracy and 'upholders' of the US Constitution? What a joke! In fact, just the opposite, and with a disgustingly open and undisguised relish!

To sum up,

Police: A bunch of heavily-armed psychos working for psychos, violently and fraudulently repressing US democracy and non-violent dissent at every opportunity. And LOVING every minute of it!

Welcome to Police State USA!

sottreader · 2014-12-13T07:08:02Z

Very true, but the problem and rot goes much deeper.

In most instances cops get away with what they do because of their accomplices in the so-called "justice system", i.e., police investigative/review boards, DAs/prosecutors, and judges. Yet, in most cases where ordinary citizens are given an opportunity to hold miscreant cops to account, they quite regularly refuse to do so (e.g., in grand juries, and on regular juries if/when cops actually get put on trial).

Yes, the system is corrupt to the core, but the general public is to blame for electing/re-electing corrupt politicians, DAs, and judges who establish and actually run that system. When all is said and done, the people not only tolerate their oppressors, but actually reinforce the oppressive system by continuing to put them in positions of power.

Sonrisa · 2014-12-13T19:58:57Z

In case you haven't noticed

the elections in the USA have been totally rigged, at least since 2000, and probably much longer than that. So no, it is not true that "the general public is to blame for electing/re-electing corrupt politicians, DAs, and judges who establish and actually run that system.". The general public has been duped to believe that there are free elections, all the while the evil psychopaths rig the elections to put into power whoever THEY want to be there. Then, like you, Sottreader, they blame the general public, and tell us that WE are the ones who keep putting these psychopaths into power.

NOT.

sottreader · 2014-12-13T21:29:26Z

Sonrisa -

I will agree that many elections at the highest levels (federal and many statewide offices) are rigged in one way or another, but those involve literally many millions, even billions, in benefits to various special interests.

IMO, there just isn't enough money/power involved to make it worthwhile to rig the elections of most small town council, local prosecutor, and municipal court judge positions, and therefore it is the height of paranoia to believe that most local elections are generally rigged. Other than your unsubstantiated opinion, can you cite ANY evidence of PERVASIVE election rigging at the local or municipal levels other than in large metropolises like NY, Chicago, etc.?

As much of an a-hole that Gruber is, he was absolutely correct in his observations that the American electorate in general is gullible and ignorant. Thus the people as a whole are indeed culpable for allowing the establishment and continuation of the current system.

Joe · 2014-12-14T18:56:10Z

I think there's a mix here of what you both are saying Elections are rigged, but many people are also duped by politicians and other public figures and willingly believe the lies they tell, despite evidence to contrary. People 'want to believe'. That's a big problem.

inverse · 2014-12-13T07:00:47Z

I guess these cops wont be done for property damage then! Its only a matter of time before the cops are declared Judges and just like 2000 AD its Judge, Jury, Execution all in one. Just another small step for mankind!

davidcarswell · 2014-12-13T07:16:24Z

False

I live in Berkeley. The police did join the group. They did not incite any vandalism. A protester recognized one of the officers and assaulted them. This article is absolutely false and misrepresenting the event. The officer was then attacked by multiple 'protestors' who prevented people from getting home and shut down transportation and grocery stores/restaurants. They get no sympathy from me or the black community I spoke with and am close with in Berkeley. The protesters were rioters. By the third day of being trapped for hours I was hoping and praying for tear gas and rubber bullets. Please note I am against the police state but these protests only did disservice to the cause insuring more police state.

Niall · 2014-12-14T18:51:07Z

Methinks the lady doth protesteth too much.

Snitches are traitors to the community.

It's now a matter of record that British undercover cops - going back decades - were ALWAYS the ones pushing to instigate violence and acts of civil disobedience. [Link]
Besides outright vandalism and looting, I'd say these govt snitches in Berkeley were the ones inducing people to block the highways.

davidcarswell · 2014-12-13T07:18:09Z

PS-

The police DID not instigate violence. Those were out of downers who did that. Maybe feds. Maybe not. But NOT Berkeley police. That is a lie. Outright.

skepticle · 2014-12-13T14:40:57Z

Since it doesn't look like anybody has produced video of the cops instigating before everything blew up and people knew who to be taking photos and videos of, this of course is the exact story we would expect from the police. Yes we were in their protest, no we didn't instigate anything. You are SO SURE Mr Carswell, what evidence do you bring that those instigating the violence were not being directed by the police? I would take your somehow absolutely certain denial with more weight if I hadn't seen evidence of this happening before, in Montebello Quebec, and exactly the same denials by the police, them caught red-handed and protected, and then the constant denials and blaming the protestors.

Sonrisa · 2014-12-13T20:10:17Z

@davidcarswell

You sound like you are, or are in league with, the cops yourself.

davidcarswell · 2014-12-13T21:10:08Z

Yes Skepticle-I am absolutely sure... To further elaborate I was there during the protest and I saw the event regarding the police pulling the gun. The way it went down was 2 police officers were walking with the protestors (thankfully to try to STOP the breaking of windows of businesses - many shops that were actually on the side of protestors). A protestor recognized one of the officers and proceeded to attack and violently assault one of the officers upon which he began shouting there was police in the group. Protestors began to gang up on the officer and madness ran amok. It was during the multiple assaults on the officer the partner stepped in drew his gun and ended the assault.

Another thing about these protests is they have blocked families from being able to feed their kids by shuttering shops for hours at a time when they should be getting home from a long day at work-that is even if they can get home considering these assholes stopped train services and shut down freeways for hours creating gridlock. My husband - yes I am gay - and I both work very hard. Several nights my husband whom usually gets home at 6:30 pm didn't get home til 11:00 pm.

The tactics used by these protesters (in my opinion the protesters are actually the provocateurs aiming toward a race war) is NOT a way to reduce the massive police abuse/police state in the USA. In fact I would say they have assured the police state will rather increase and less of freedom will result. Race honestly doesn't even need to be mentioned (though yes addressing racism in general is needed) because there is enough evidence of police stealing through asset forfeiture on a massive scale, a day doesn't go by without hearing about a person calling 911 for help and police responding to the scene only to murder or horribly injuring a person, murdering elderly in their retirement homes for not wanting to go to the hospital, SWAT raids maiming children asleep in cribs tossing flash bang grenades for a parking ticket warrant-hell the list goes on and on but yet people get up in a tizzy about a boy black or not who tweets pictures of himself with a glock pistol and huge wads of cash (he wasn't posing for a gangster themed model shoot!). Where are all the protests for people that surely deserve a protest and outrage?

@sunrisa that attitude accusing me of being with the police I assure you you couldn't be more wrong and your accusation is exactly what is wrong with today's black or white (no pun intended) non critical way of thought where anyone who witnesses something with a few facts that the mainstream media and even sometimes alternative media take out of context - immediately the person who was on the ground trying to clear up the errors in a report is called a troll or a accomplice.

I'll tell ya the narrative above does somewhat fall into what could be observed or miscommunicated with people who whom have a lot of hatred for any other narrative thus blinding themselves. Personally the protests in Berkeley as many believe may be government tactics that surely only benifit the police state and the psychopaths running the rogue US. Who benefits? Certainly not the cause the protest was about? Not the protesters? Certainly not the people of Berkeley or SF Bay Area. Certainly not the local police? Who benefitted were those that have the power to use this as a means to tighten the noose on you and me through legislation to rob us of freedoms and insure more tyranny via the spy masters. Empire of chaos win. USA

Ruth · 2014-12-16T15:14:09Z

You use the word 'downers', not 'towners'. Interesting. Do you not consider that they were working for someone else, not the Berkeley police?

IncenDiary · 2014-12-13T10:35:16Z

Cui bono? - "to whose benefit?"

The LIE is that the police were NOT instigating violence and looting. Practically all protests there is ALWAYS a small group screwing it up for the rest of us by going "overboard" and destroying and looting. The only group who benefits are the cops who are then justified to break heads and tear gas and pepper spray to kingdom come.

Now that it is finally exposed for what it has always been, there will always be defenders of that status quo : "That's a lie! I know for SURE that it was malcontents and not my vaunted, put-on-a-pedestal with halo's on, police! No way!"

The truth is a bitter pill to swallow...

davidcarswell · 2014-12-13T21:25:05Z

These protesters did not achieve any win for their cause. In fact the actions of these protesters by hurting people by blocking for hours 'we the people' from getting home and feeding our families nightly for hours for a week-what they did achieve through their looting and distruction of businesses - blocking trains, buses, and cars - creating gridlock-the achieved one thing -that being that the government got their reason to take more of our freedoms away and increase spying and further cause you and I to be called a terrorist. Everyone I know was for a march and protest but not one that looked anything like what these mostly nonlocals created in chaos. No one said the police were angels. They did not handle some of the events well but those that could have been won over and didn't like the tear gas - after a couple of days of hurting our community we felt very quickly that the police weren't doing enough. So much so that some of us were WANTING them to tear gas, rubber bullet them, and massively arrest them so we could repair damage, get home (not 4-5 hours late) and maybe get to relax after work or got to the grocers and cook ourselves a nonGMO meal. You see these protests were not people like you or I and everyone I talked to believes the protesters here were very likely government agents. Deception is in full swing because you and the alternative media are buying it hook line and sinker. We were there. This protest may be the perfect example of brainwashing a narrative on the governments behalf.

Niall · 2014-12-14T18:54:58Z

The only narrative I see here is your incredible one defending the exposed cops.

Joe · 2014-12-14T19:17:58Z

I think you might be missing the point that a little mayhem and disorder is necessary right now, and people having to wait a while to "feed their families" as you say is unfortunate but something they can surely put up with. This country needs more than "law and order" right now, its needs hope, real hope, and if it has to come in the form of rioting then so be it, it's better than the creeping fascism that is the status quo for sure.

forestkitty · 2014-12-13T19:53:33Z

Finally

are we waking up?

Levi · 2014-12-14T17:15:48Z

Big Problem!

Our society is trapped. We cannot free ourselves of our chains. Take the example of these protests: to get a voice the public has to stand up, but standing up hurts us more than those against whom we stand up.

The mob is very dangerous. What the powers that are, decided to make us autodestruct ourselves, thanks to our weakness of mass?

It is a vicious circle that only a "god" could break. So there better be such a "god" for us, if we ourselves are not gods.

Baybars · 2014-12-14T19:39:54Z

Defending Cops

In a land long ago and far away that concept would have seemed natural. I don't live there and that concept is as alien to me as kissing a piranha.
Sad because most cops are just doing a job given to them by their leaders.

glardu · 2014-12-14T20:13:51Z

Consider this...
The protests are over police brutality and no justice against the bad cops.
The cops choose to walk among the protesters, often pretending to be one of them.

If you are one of the minority (the cops) that is the source of the entire problem why for the love of Odin would you put yourself there? Youre not in riot gear, you are under cover, and in a situation such as that it becomes very clear why you are there. These 'pigs' are lucky to be alive, as their mere presence is enough to escalate things to the point of mob murder, which Im certain is part of their goals in order to implement changes to freedom of speech, the right to assemble, and further the goal of police state yankeeville.

Its like me walking into a police station smoking a doobie. Pretty high on the stunned bastard scale, unless there is a goal behind it.

Ruth · 2014-12-16T15:19:32Z

Yes, it could be a distraction and misleading.

Slinger · 2014-12-14T23:49:47Z

Cops will always be needed

Cops will always be needed in a society based on fear and greed, as long as there are people who percieve that they are hard done by and have a sense of entitlement to anothers property and /or freedom /life, Cops will be needed.
As long as society as a whole is not prepared to turn out to defend those who can't,or to work towards safe streets, or to include the excluded then cops will be needed, when we dont accept personel response-ablity for ourselves and our community then cops will be needed, to pay someone else to risk their lives for your benifit replaces personel response-abilty for ones own enviroment with a servant /master employment contract, the master hires a servant to do a job he is not skilled ,qualified or otherwise wants to do.
The servant finds pride in specialisd work and identifies with the job, the master(society) finds it convient to hire senior sevants to supervise and then puts the problem aside leaving it to the servants to manage finding it easier to "pay and forget" rather than to supervise boring or unpleasant tasks.
But servants can not work at a task forever, there must be progress, all tasks have to end sometime and the servant sees that the master is doing nothing to resolve the cause of his task, in fact the master seems to be makeing more work for him in different ways that require even more servants to meet the work, but no matter how many servants there are , there are always more masters abdicating their duty to stand up to make a difference. the servant sees that he is no longer being watched and supported by the master, who only comes down to complain when he is not happy with the servants work, so he becomes bored, cynical,jaded.
This creates prime ground for abuse and graft and still more crime as the senior servants take advantage of this and the juniour ones see this and act accordingly, soon the servants become strong and drunk on the abdicated power of the absent master.
The masters return to complain at the servants antics, "crime is everywhere, whole neighbourhoods are unsafe,violence is commonplace and the criminals have control of the courts and worse!" in return the servants says"Shut up and do as you are told , we are in charge now! You threw away your right to self determination and self defence and you lack the strength to do anything about it, now we will make those choices for you, Do as you are told if you don't want to feel my boot or worse!" The masters are cowed and resentful, they point the finger amongst themselves and howl at their mistreatment not prepared to admit yet that they created this situation, not prepared to remove the reason why they needed servants in the first place, not yet prepared to stand on the thin line in the face of danger and find the courage to police themselves.
Not yet....

glardu · 2014-12-15T00:12:59Z

Only in amerikanistan. Ive noticed in Canada they have started following suit with the media broadcasts focusing on articles and delivery methods which induce a sense of fear*, then they back it down for a bit (so we dont take action) then ramp it up again. The same was done down south for some time, and look what its created. The 'need' for martial law, the need to have someone look out for you because you lack the courage to defend yourself.

Someone breaks into your house, you hear a muffled cry and walk to your daughters room to find her being raped. Do you call the cops or do you cut his limbs off with the blade in your hand? Remember, under current laws we dont have the right to defend ourselves! But that is your daughter being raped.

She will remember that her father gutted a man that hurt her. If it comes to a court room (it may not) she will remember he stood before those that claimed the offender had more rights than her, and that as a father you stood proudly before 'the man'. Chances are there wont be a court room, I own a truck, a tarp, and a shovel. I dont need a cop to defend me. Some will claim its all talk, those who know me have met me in a darkened hallway with blade in hand and have been instructed not to be so stupid. Survival is not a government approved activity, its the right of every living creature on this rock to fight to live, to fight to protect our families. We do not need cops.

Slinger · 2014-12-15T01:33:29Z

Forget the sponge,turn off the tap

GLARDU There are the brittle and flawed laws of men, then there are the laws of the Universe,which have never changed, i know which ones i follow.
Every creature , plant, animal and person has the right to defend themselves to a point, imminent threat of death or injury yes, pre emptive strike no.
I lived in Canada for a long time and see no difference between thinking of the people there as to those south of the border, or indeed in the country i currenty reside, we are all people who want to feel safe. i have daughters and know what you say when you talk about a tarp and a shovel,even if the methods would be different. But would we do the same for neighbour? or a stranger in the mall in trouble, knowingly risk our lives and affect the lives of those we love with the potential of loss should things go bad?(who will look after them if i am gone?)Anyone would hesitate
Say we get the first bad guy, then the next, and the next then what?Can you stay on guard over all you love forever?A blunt shovel and a sore back is not a viable solution.
At somepoint our daughters are going to leave, then where will we be?
And if something did happen when we wern't there would you commit revenge?,murder after the fact?, then the attacker wins because you owe him Karma, and you have become like them. double victory.
For our Daughters to be safe long term i believe that we must address how we form societies and communities address the root causes of our afflictions of crime and sickness, if that means a fundimental shift in how we do things, how we act and how we think then so be it.It will still be cheaper than todays price that society pays.
Always keep your shovel handy, but work at not needing it.

Defcon2 · 2014-12-16T02:35:12Z

Puppets and Masters

I will cite an incident that happened here in Chicago,Ill in the calendar year 2012. Mayor Emanuel who had been elected on the promise of Reform and Transparency,in 2011. The Mayor decided to close city run Mental Health centers to save the " taxpayer " money that the city said it did not have to run the Centers.This was announced in the winter of 2011 and the centers were closed in the Spring of 2012.During the closing period and before the staff members and community organizers in the neighborhoods where the centers were located protested and took to the streets enmasse and peacefully.The protests lasted for several months until the city finally closed the centers.Several months later the story broke here in a small community newspaper named The Reader by a reporter by the name of Ben Joravsky describing in detail the story of two undercover police officers( one male one female) who had infiltrated the protest marches by the staff members against closing the centers.In the column he detailed how the police officers attempted to incite the leaders of the protest to get violent in their protest.The rationale was that only property damage would legitimize their stance,not peaceful marching.This was confirmed by several members of the community who rejected the idea totally.This was done to people who were protesting the closing of " mental health centers" ,centers that were not known to cure any ones' mental health.Are we beginning to get the picture here??Please read Political Ponerology by Andrew M Lobaczewski ." However in any imperial civilization,the complex problems of human nature are troublesome factors complicating the legal regulations of public affairs and administrative functions.This begets a tendency to dismiss such matters and develop a concept of human personality simplified enough to serve the purposes of law.Roman citizens could achieve their goals and develop their personal attitudes within the framework set by fate and legal principles,which characterized an individual ' s situation based on premises having little to do with actual psychological properties. The Spiritual life of people lacking the rights of citizenship was not an appropriate subject of deeper studies.Thus cognitive psychology remained barren,a condition which always produces moral recession at both the individual and public levels"..Political Ponerology pp 34.

Ruth · 2014-12-16T15:23:00Z

Seriously? Some wack job in a brown shirt, waving a gun, infiltrating protests? Is it worth all this?

glardu · 2014-12-16T16:00:56Z

Their agenda and our agendas differ greatly.
Feds want things ramped up greatly, for it to turn violent so they may institute a more militant approach to policing, less rights for the people, and turn the land of the free into something else where the few rule with an iron fist.

@Slinger: [Link] This is what I mean. The cops had the opportunity, they "chose" not to act. "We" the people acted and were charged. The cops had two years to do something about it. In this case a shovel wasnt needed, merely a jerry can of gas. We dont need cops, but we do need a judge now and then, but even in this case the judge made a huge mistake and convicted these people for defending their homes from a scourge that is simply not allowed on such a beautiful place that is one of the last friendly and peaceful communities left on Earth.

The police are hired to to the job 'we require of them', not to act in their own interests. If they wont do what we require them to do then they shall be removed or bypassed.

Slinger · 2014-12-16T23:46:26Z

Act or not to act

This is what it boils down to,we all recognise that this is a world of illusion and lessons yes?
If not then some of us have some catch up to do,but every thought and choice and action or not, is being weighed measured and assessed against our own spiritual development, it forges bonds of Karma between people and nations and nature that must be paid or recieved.
This affects ALL beings everywhere apart from certain entities who have earned a free hand from their previous actions.
However as to us we must struggle to find the answer for ourselves in the situation that we find ourselves in. there is a time to practice forgiveness and reap its benifits just as there is a time to practice compassionate destruction and pay its price.
It is up to each of us to make that choice almost everyday it seems lately,but when we realise the prize is true freedom or more of the same cyclic crap i think most of us will want to play the long game.

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Berkeley protests: Undercover police officer pulls gun after being caught infiltrating group and instigating looting and violence

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