Occupy Oakland Hero Iraq War Vet Scott Olsen Speaks On His Return

Occupy Oakland hero Scott Olsen, who had served two tours in Iraq — unharmed — but was critically injured by Oakland Police after doing absolutely nothing, speaks in this interview about his attack, his recovery, and his thoughts about the whole experience.

You’ll remember Oakland Police used tear gas and rubber bullets or other non-lethal projectiles to attack the unarmed protestors of the Occupy Movement last month.

Olsen spent three weeks in the hospital, and if you watch this video and realize you’re looking at a former Iraq War soldier, you can truly see how challenging it is for him to even speak.

That America’s police force did this to one of our service members is atrocious. I hope he sues the hell out of the Oakland Police Department.

At the time of Olsen’s injuries, Huffington Post writer Jason Cherkis noted that Oakland, California police were “determined to reclaim the camp that officers destroyed that morning,” adding an update later stating,

“New video posted to YouTube suggests that Olsen was hit at close range with a tear-​gas canister. After demonstrators rush to Olsen’s aid, an Oakland cop waits a few beats before lobbing a second tear-​gas canister at the crowd. They are attending to Olsen when the canister explodes, sending smoke everywhere.”

You can watch several of the original videos showing Olsen being attacked here.

http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1

(h/t The Political Carnival)