Oakland Response to Mehserle Verdict - Street Action: photos (2 of 3)

As dark began to set in, graffiti went up and windows were broken on Broadway between 14th and 15th Streets. A number of people pushed through the metal gates protecting the Foot Locker store and began to throw individual shoes in the air over the crowd. Police were obviously aware of what was happening as they had a line at 15th and Broadway, as well as snipers and lookouts on rooftops and presumably undercover officers in the crowd, yet they did nothing. Eventually, box after box of shoes and other sporting gear began to come out of the store. Some attempts were made to ignite empty shoe boxes strewn throughout the block.

It wasn't until nearly an hour after the community gathering concluded that police formed a line on 14th just west of Broadway, donned gas masks, and made an announcement about an illegal assembly that could not be heard by those on Broadway. As the police line moved toward Broadway and rounded the intersection at 14th, turning north, a voice on a loudspeaker could be heard commanding officers to "make arrests, make arrests" as they slowly moved forward. Police began to tackle random people, using their nightsticks, with multiple officers piling onto each individual they targeted, pushing them into the pavement. Several bloody faces were seen as police lifted arrestees to take them away.

From there, most of the crowd had managed to squeeze through the opening into Frank Ogawa Plaza while others made it further up Broadway and Telegraph where more graffiti went up, more windows were broken, at least three additional stores had merchandise expropriated, and several dumpsters and trash cans were set on fire. Before midnight, those in the streets had largely dispersed and police set up lines at various intersections and marched through downtown in large platoons.


Oakland Response to Mehserle Verdict - Community Gathering: photos (1 of 3)
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/07/17/18654039.php

Oakland Response to Mehserle Verdict - The Aftermath: photos (3 of 3)