Although the Occupy Movement has emphatically preached peaceful non-violence during strikes and demonstrations, as we saw yesterday "anarchist groups" and fringe factions that take a different approach to the unrest are a growing problem in Oakland. In this video, posted by investigative journalism group Wake Up USA, peaceful protesters attempting to prevent violence at the Whole Foods at 27th and Harrison in Oakland with a group of Black Bloc demonstrators while they attempt to vandalize and destroy property at the store.
As the Occupiers can be heard saying, these masked miscreants don't speak for the vast majority of people there, but an increased level of violence at these protests doesn't bode well at all for the public's perception of the movement, regardless of whether they are part of it, a separatist group or — as some YouTube commenters have suggested — planted rioters paid to stir up trouble.
