Photo by Steve Stallone.
ILWU Local 10 former business agent Jack Heyman emceed a rally of a couple hundred longshore workers and peace and civil rights activists in front of Oakland City Hall March 7. The gathering celebrated their legal victory against the city and its police department for its excessive use of force and violence against anti-Iraq War protesters on a picket line at the Port of Oakland April 7, 2003. The demonstrators were highlighting the role of Stevedoring Services of America (SSA) and American Presidents Line (APL) in the Iraq war effort.
Heyman noted that the police violence cost the city more than $2 million to settle, not including attorney and court fees.
“That’s money that could have been used for Oakland’s schools and to pay its teachers decently,” Heyman said, referring to the ongoing contract struggle Oakland’s teachers have with the district.
James Chanin, an attorney for the demonstrators, pointed out that not only did all 59 plaintiffs receive some monetary compensation for their injuries and the trampling of their rights, but that the settlement included a consent decree changing police policy dealing with protests and restricting the force that can be used in such circumstances.
Chanin noted the city finally settled once it was forced to produce evidence of its defense, argued by both Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown and then-Police Chief Richard Word, that the demonstrators started the violence by attacking the police.
“Not a single rock or bottle was thrown at the police,” Chanin said. “That was confirmed by the police’s own video.”
Letters of congratulations for the victory from Maritime Union of Australia National Secretary Paddy Crumlin, Charleston ILA Local 1422 President Ken Riley, the Liverpool Dockers, ITF dockers section secretary Frank Leys and Doro-Chiba, the railroad workers union of Japan, were read to the assembly.
“If the profits of war go unquestioned, there will be no peace, and if police brutality and government deception goes unchallenged, there will be no freedom,” Crumlin’s letter read. “You not only defended your rights, but our rights and the rights of all.”
--SS
