#occupyventura: candlelight vigil 10/28–guest post by Grant Marcus

OCCUPYVENTURA TO HOLD CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR
FALLEN SOLDIER IN SOLIDARITY WITH OCCUPYOAKLAND
by Grant Marcus

OccupyVentura, in solidarity with Occupy
Oakland will hold a candlelight vigil in the rose
garden in front of City Hall at 8pm this Friday.

OccupyVentura will hold the vigil in prayer
and meditation for U.S. Marine Olsen in hope
his condition will continue to improve.  The
group is currently occupying City Hall as part
of the OccupyWallStreet movement.

If you wish to participate in the vigil, please
bring a candle and hopeful thoughts and prayers
to City Hall.  The gathering will meet in front of
our historic building on Poli and California
Streets.

The call for a vigil follows the injury of Marine, Scott
Olsen, 3rd Battalion, 4th regiment at #occupyoakland.
The marine suffered a skull fracture after being hit with
a projectile by Oakland police.  Olsen had
returned recently from two tours in Iraq.

“It’s a sad day when a marine, who
defends his country, cannot peacefully as-
semble,” said Jose Sanchez of Iraqi Veterans
Against the War.  Members of Olsen’s fam-
ily have stated they are “appalled” by police
actions.

The marine had come from work to join
OccupyOakland when police admittedly
fired stun grenades, bean bags, tear gas
canisters and plastic bullets into the crowd
of occupyers.

Olsen was hit by one of the projectiles.
Several demonstrators then responded, com-
ing to his rescue.  When they did, police fired
more projectiles, scattering many occupyers.
But some braved the line of fire to carry
Olsen out of harm’s way.

The marine was then taken by ambu-
lance to Highland General Hospital.and
admitted to the critical care unit.  His con-
dition has since been downgraded to fair,
and he is answering yes/no questions.

Police Chief Howard Jordan stated that
he had only ordered bean bags to be fired,
and he blamed outside agencies for the
use of tear gas and the other projectiles..

There have been particularly large crowds
in Oakland and in OcccupySan Francisco,
and the tensions have been building in the
two adjacent cities overwhelmed with pro-
testers. There are 600 occupations cur-
rently going on throughout the country and
900 worldwide.  50 occupations are
going on in California.

For further information, contact Grant
Marcus at 805-259-9725, or email,
grantpeacenurse726ATgmail.com. Free
speech, the right to assemble, and our
democracy should have no fear.