Fake Oakland Mayor's Website Offers Bogus Apology To Demonstrators
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- A website claiming to be the official site of Oakland Mayor Jean Quan appeared recently, mimicking the official Oakland website entirely, but adding a statement of support for "Occupy Oakland" demonstrations that did not come from Quan, according to officials in the mayor's office.
The website at www.oaklandmayor.com is almost an exact replica of the city's official website at www.oaklandnet.com, including previous statements the mayor has made on the Occupy Oakland protests.
But the website has added a fabricated letter purportedly from Quan apologizing to protesters for the police response to protests Tuesday, where the Occupy Oakland encampments at Frank Ogawa Plaza were raided, resulting in dozens of arrests, and police used tear gas, rubber bullets and smoke grenades to keep protesters away from the plaza later that night.
"I offer my sincere apology for ordering the violent repression of the Occupy Oakland encampment in front of city hall," the fake statement stated.
The letter, which was also distributed at Occupy Oakland demonstrations, went on to say that Quan endorsed Occupy Oakland's calls for a general strike in Oakland on Nov. 2. The mayor's office released a statement Saturday clarifying that the letter was "bogus."
Quan's most recent statement on the demonstrations was released Thursday, after Quan attempted to speak at Occupy Oakland's nightly general assembly meeting in front of City Hall, but was booed off stage by the gathered demonstrators.
In her official letter, Quan did apologize for the police reaction to Occupy Oakland demonstrations, and said she was "deeply saddened" by the outcome of police actions against demonstrators Tuesday.
Quan also said that she visited former Marine Scott Olsen and his parents in the hospital on Thursday. Olsen was critically injured with a scull fracture in Tuesday's demonstrations.
A statement from the city of Oakland released Saturday said that interim police chief Howard Jordan also visited Olsen, and reassured his parents that the city is investigating the incident where Olsen was injured, and has made the investigation a "top priority."
Meanwhile, Oakland police have maintained a minimal presence in Frank Ogawa Plaza following Tuesday's demonstrations, and Occupy Oakland demonstrators have returned to the plaza and have been busily setting their camp back up.
The city's statement Saturday said the Oakland Fire Department conducted inspections of the encampment Friday and Saturday. The statement said that the fire department found a propane container Friday, which was removed by protesters, and that no violations were found during Saturday's inspections.
The city also reported that five people were detained at demonstrations on Friday, and that one person was arrested in possession of a firearm.
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