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Phil Matier: Occupy Oakland Numbers Dwindling?

OAKLAND (KCBS) – Only a handful of the protesters outside President Obama's fundraiser on Monday at the Fox Theater in Oakland identified themselves as part of the Occupy movement.

Most of those who voiced their displeasure with President Obama's latest trip to the Bay Area were supporters of medical marijuana. The small turnout from members of Occupy begs the question: is the movement losing steam?

KCBS, CBS 5 and Chronicle Insider Phil Matier:

The Occupy Oakland movement, one of the most vocal in the country, has staged several large-scale protests over the last year – shutting down the Port of Oakland, skirmishes with police and establishing an encampment near City Hall. The weekly general assemblies, which once attracted more than a thousand people at each meeting, now draw a hundred or so.

Many of the Occupy members have moved on to the foreclosure crisis or other social issues in Oakland (school closures, police shootings), bunching off into smaller groups.

But violent acts by "Black Bloc" anarchists, including the destruction of property and numerous confrontations with Oakland police, have worn on many in the movement, as members feel that the message they wanted to convey is getting lost in the big picture.

It's still unclear if the movement will once again pick up steam or remain mostly quiet in nature.

You can hear Phil Matier's comments Monday through Friday at 7:50am and 5:50pm on KCBS All News 740AM and 106.9FM.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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