As hundreds of Occupy Oakland protesters planned to march through downtown Oakland for traditional May Day protests, the Oakland Police Department has sought to halt the marchers by blocking off roads and transit. Police began blocking the streets shortly before noon Pacific time, in anticipation of a march planned to begin at 3 p.m. at the Fruitvale BART station, and larger marches converging on Frank Ogawa Plaza at 6 p.m., according to the SF Appeal. Oakland has been the site of the most violent demonstrations in the past, and what happens this afternoon in the city will determine the success of the Occupy movement's attempt to use May Day to reinvigorate the nationwide protests.

Yesterday, Occupy Oakland made headlines when a small faction protested in downtown San Francisco, leaving in their wake a mile-long trek of vandalism beginning at 18th and Dolores Streets, according to Mission Local.

Below is a live stream from downtown Oakland, courtesy of the therevolutionwillbestreamed UStream account, which is manned by someone sympathetic to the Occupy cause. In the video there are rumors of an LRAD, or long range acoustic device, as well as violence and arrests. The cameraman seems to believe that Officer Hamilton is in charge of all this, from what I can tell.

Streaming video by Ustream

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