OAKLAND – Days after Wisconsin police shot dead a black man, protesters rallied again to demand justice on Wednesday night at Frank Ogawa Plaza.
Protesters spoke of the death of Jacob Blake, who was shot repeatedly by a police officer on Sunday in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Several rounds of protests have sought to target long-standing grievances over police and law and order at the state and local levels, spurred by multiple incidents this year, including the March raid in Louisville, Kentucky, which has resulted in the death of Breonna Taylor, the California Highway Traffic shutdown run by a patroller in June that killed Erik Salgado and injured his girlfriend in East Oakland, and the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
At one point, a protester in Oakland on Wednesday drew applause for the NBA players’ strike that had started earlier today, saying “the moment of work was so absent, so dispersed in the action that no one don’t notice it. “.
The protest, which saw more than 500 participants, turned into a march through the streets of the city.
In a series of tweets, police said that “agitators in the crowd” started fires, smashed windows and lit fireworks, as well as aimed lasers and hurled objects at officers.
We celebrate a passionate protest, but remind Oaklanders that when they participate in protests after dark, they could provide cover for agitators who are more determined to vandalize and fuel civil unrest than to promote social justice. . ”
City officials said residents can register with Nixle, a platform used by Oakland Police to alert residents of possible traffic disruptions and station closures related to protests or disruptions. police activities, sending their postal code. at 888777 on a mobile phone to activate alerts.
Speaker says black and brown communities have power, not just politicians
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Oakland, a city long known for its large.
peaceful protests and some fragmented groups causing property damage, has seen protests throughout the year. The fatal shooting of a federal security officer during a protest earlier this year was later declared by federal prosecutors as an attempt by extremists to incite civil war.
Oakland city officials said on Wednesday they would aim to facilitate peaceful street protests.
“Over the past month, we have continued to encourage peaceful protests and demonstrations of outrage at social injustice and racial inequality. The Oakland Police Department has increased its staff to provide a safe space for protests and will facilitate free speech while maintaining public safety, ”Oakland City Administrator Ed Reiskin said in part. .
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