Occupy Oakland's Brutal Night: Fires, Arrests, Tear Gas

What began as a largely peaceful protest in Oakland ended up being marked by the following: shattered windows, graffiti, fires, tear gas, flash-bang grenades, stitches, and arrests. Things didn't get ugly until after midnight, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. Most of the day's approximately 7,000 protesters headed home around 11pm, but a remaining group overtook an empty building two blocks from Occupy Oakland's tent city. They reportedly barricaded both ends of the block the building sits on; started a massive fire whose flames reached heights of 15 feet; hung banners from its roof; and graffitied its exterior.

Police told the crowd to disperse and fired flash-bang grenades and tear gas canisters after an officer was reportedly hit with a bottle. They say protesters threw metal pipes, hammers, molotov cocktails, and more. The AP reports that at least four protesters were hospitalized, with one, who tussled with a cop, needing stitches. "Dozens" were arrested. (More Occupy Wall Street stories.)