Victory! ‘Urban Shield’ Finished In Oakland
On Friday, around 300 protesters blocked Broadway between 9th and 11th streets in downtown Oakland, protesting the second day of the eighth annual Urban Shield convention.
The event could not have occurred at a more timely moment. Only a few weeks after images of SWAT teams in riot gear pointing military-grade assault rifles towards peaceful protesters and arresting dozens in the streets brought the hyper-militarization of the police to national attention, the Urban Shield convention is taking place in downtown Oakland, bringing together law enforcement forces from around the world for a two-day trade show followed by a series of trainings taking place throughout the Bay Area. Late Friday, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan announced in a press conference that the convention will not be returning to Oakland next year.
Despite the victory, many activists recognize that resisting events like Urban Shield, and other manners of police militarization will be a long battle.