June 14, 1971: Berkeley Nike Missile Base Occupation
June 14 1971, only a few days after federal marshals ended the Alcatraz occupation, a convoy of nine cars moved to occupy an abandoned Nike Missile base near Tilden park in Berkeley. Alcatraz veteran John Trudell, photographed at the base, helped lead the occupation.
Announced in the Berkeley Tribe, the brief occupation was lauded as “brilliant, instantaneous, catching the pigs completely off-guard,” “a great victory for the people.” Before people could arrive with additional supplies, Richmond and Contra Costa County police moved in.
