It was not exactly insurrection, but the rowdies gathered in Oakland for a grandiosely-named "general strike" Wednesday, finally got the street action they wanted after nightfall, building a bonfire in a downtown street with flames 15 feet high (pictures here), requiring police action to prevent damage and injury to property and buildings nearby.  When missiles were thrown at police and hit some, the police moved in with tear gas and percussion grenades. At about 1 AM,   on a street adjacent to Frank Ogawa Plaza, a group of 200 to 300 officers faced off against 150 protesters, many of whom were carrying makeshift shields and taunting officers. At one point, the officers split into two groups. Protesters followed the officers, who ordered them to disperse. Police then went around a building, surrounded the demonstrators and began firing tear gas. Lots of "action" for those demonstrators romantically craving their own version of the 1960s antiwar movement. Earlier, marchers...(Read Full Post)