Helicopters Create Stir Over Ocean View School

Wednesday was already set to be a busy day at , with standardized STAR testing and a event.

And then came the helicopters, hovering overhead until just before the morning kindergarteners’ 8:20 a.m. arrival.

CBS confirmed that one of the helicopters was theirs and said they thought the other belonged to KTVU.

Members of the media descended on the site Wednesday to cover new police activity at the University of California-owned . Police locked a western entrance to the field, across from Ocean View, to limit access to the area by activists who took over the land on April 22 to turn it into an urban farm. The site is used for agricultural research by . The university has been increasing pressure on the activists to vacate the site, where they have been camping, as the field needs to begin being prepared for researchers by mid-May.

“Many of the families were awakened by the copters,” said Ocean View Principal Terry Georgeson. In fact, she said, it was more the media attention—helicopters in the air and television vans on the streets—than the arrival of the police at the occupied Gill Tract across the street that got people’s attention.

The helicopters arrived around 6:30 a.m., and several Albany Patch readers wrote in, complaining:

“The hovering helicopters and bull horns woke my entire family up as well as many of my neighbors,” wrote Gretchen Davidson, who lives at Washington and Cornell avenues.

“They're a bigger nuisance than the Occupiers,” wrote Jason Van Boom.

The Ocean View principal said family members seemed more “curious” than concerned. Parents have been looking for reassurance, Georgeson said, “not asking, do we have a position,” but just whether the school is communicating with University of California authorities.

Georgeson said the university has been in touch with the , inquiring about when the 580-some Ocean View students come and go. She said had been sharing these communications and including her in meetings.

The school district and the city of Albany issued a joint statement on Wednesday:

"We call upon all parties involved—the University of California, the persons at the Gill Tract, observers, and other members of the public—to consider first and foremost the health and safety of children, families, and others in the Albany community.

"We ask that any activities or actions related to 'Occupy the Farm' display thoughtful respect for the welfare of those at Ocean View School, University Village and its surroundings, and the Albany community at large.”

WIDE RANGE OF REACTIONS

Reactions from a handful of parents outside Ocean View on Wednesday morning ranged from full support of the farm occupation, to skepticism, to a concern for safety.

Anna Shapiro, a University Village resident and Ocean View parent called the urban farming activities and occupation a “positive thing.” She knows some of the activists, she said, and has been storing some of their belongings at her home. “I think people are misinformed about what the occupiers want. They’re not blocking the research,” she said.

Jose Montoya, on the other hand, who lives on Jackson Street, directly across from the Gill Tract, said, “I don’t want this to turn into what happened in Oakland.” 

“I support local and organic farms,” he said. “but I don’t really see the point of these guys being there. This is not even the area where they’re going to do the store.” (The university has proposed development of a Whole Foods grocery store and senior housing complex south of Village Creek and the agricultural research field.)

Heather Day, a University Village resident from New Zealand, was not concerned about safety, but said, “I have more sympathy for the financial protest occupy movements.”

About 40 parents came together Wednesday night at University Village to hear from activists and share their thoughts and concerns about the Gill Tract occupation by Occupy the Farm. (That story is forthcoming.) 

On Thursday morning, the site appeared quiet. At least one tent remained in the agricultural field, but most of the activists had moved south of Village Creek to the lot that is slated for development.

A private security guard on site said several other tents remained in the field, including one tent that had been covered with straw.

In addition to University of California police officers who have been posted at the Gill Tract since Wednesday, several private security guards have also been assigned to the area. 

Just after noon on Thursday, an alert went out from members of Occupy the Farm stating that the university had locked the eastern gate to the site, and was not allowing anyone to enter. They requested support at the gate and said they have planned a rally at 5 p.m.

Click the "Keep me posted" button below for an update when we publish future stories on this topic. Read more on Albany Patch about the Gill Tract occupation. 

Emilie Raguso contributed to this report.

If there's something in this article you think , or if something else is amiss, call editor Emilie Raguso at 510-459-8325 or email her at albany@patch.com.