Mayor Ron Dellums stood before a fuming crowd on the steps of City Hall on Wednesday night trying to restore calm after angry protesters rampaged through the streets of downtown Oakland, creating a surreal near-riot that lasted several hours.
"Number one, let's deal with each other with respect," Dellums told the crowd over a bullhorn, referring to the Jan. 1 shooting of Oscar Grant III by former BART police Officer Johannes Mehserle — captured on cell phone and digital camera videos and replayed on national television stations. "I sense your anger, I sense your pain and your frustration."
Although Oakland has no direct jurisdiction over the incident, Dellums pledged that the city would investigate Grant's shooting "like any other homicide." Unappeased, the crowd of about 50 protesters erupted in jeers and boos at the mayor's words as he retreated into City Hall, demanding that Mehserle be brought to justice for the unarmed 22-year-old father's death.
About a dozen of the protesters then began smashing windows of nearby businesses and cars, including several city of Oakland vehicles parked near 17th Street and on San Pablo Avenue, just north of Frank H. Ogawa Plaza.
In response, police fired what appeared to be tear gas for the second time after a relatively peaceful demonstration began at the Fruitvale BART Station.
Question - what motivated the first firing of what appeared to be tear gas? We are told this is the second time police have fired tear gas.
Question - why did the police respond with tear gas after "a relatively peaceful demonstration began at the Fruitvale Bart Station?" Once the tear gas has been fired, who expects a relatively peaceful demonstration to remain relatively peaceful. There is plenty of historic evidence that firing tear gas into relatively peaceful demonstrations invariably arouses emotions of fear or anger, and ultimately indignation.
Question - did the event described here begin at the Fruitvale Bart Station, and then progress to city hall into which the mayor is reported to have retreated? (a 3.38 mile drive by automobile)? Or were there multiple events to which police were called?
By the time a marching crowd left the Fruitvale station and reached the Lake Merritt BART station, the protest had turned violent. Cars were burned, windows of cars and downtown businesses were smashed, Dumpsters were overturned, tear gas was fired, and at least 13 people were arrested. Protesters broke out windows and dented an Oakland Police Department car.Question - by this time, are more than the original 50 protesters who erupted into jeers involved? How many people are assembled? If so, at what point did the police come to outnumber them 200 to 50?
The protesters also threw bottles in the direction of officers, and as many as 200 police, including Oakland's Tactical Operations Team, were called to the scene. BART police and officers from the Housing Authority were sent in for backup.
The protesters were outraged that the officer involved had not been interviewed, he said, adding that he shared their anger. It was clear from the videotape that Grant was lying facedown and he hadn't been accused of a crime, Epstein added.
As the standoff escalated, protesters chanted "murder, murder, murder" and were forced by heavily armed police toward Madison and 15th streets. It was at that time protesters set ablaze another car and smashed shop windows, including Creative African Braids, Oakland Yoon's Pharmacy and the McDonald's on 14th and Madison streets. Damage estimates were impossible to gather late Wednesday, as was the extent of the damage.
BART spokesman Linton Johnson said three stations got shut down by protesters Wednesday — 12th Street, Fruitvale and Lake Merritt.
Johnson said no one was seriously hurt at those stations and no BART property was damaged. "There will be beefed-up security and BART police on standby" at the BART board of directors meeting at 9 a.m. this morning, he said.
The protesters were "calling attention to something that is a systematic problem, which won't go away with an apology," said a 29-year-old who identified himself only as B. Rex. He was arrested and taken by police in a squad car soon after.
Question - on what charge was B. Rex arrested? Clearly, he spoke to a reporter. It seems unlikely that he would have torched a car or broken a window, and then stopped to casually mention that the killing was a systemic problem.
Question - What is surreal about this situation? People are angry. People protest. Mayor responds. People don't like mayor's response. Mayor retreats. Crowd boos and jeers. Small number of people start smashing windows and burning cars. Police fire tear gas. 200 police officers eventually respond to scene. At least 13 are arrested.
Question - were the 13 arrested the original dirty dozen window smashers who initiated the property damage plus B. Rex?
Question - if this is a near riot, what does a full riot look like?
How many more police need to be called to qualify? How many need to be arrested? How many times does tear gas need to be fired?
The time line of events needs some clarification.
