Alameda County Superior Courthouse set on fire, streets vandalized as demonstrators protest in Oakland
Hundreds of people took to the streets of Oakland to show their solidarity for Portland and Black Lives Matter movement. KRON 4 reported that around 600 people took to the streets of downtown Oakland on Saturday night, July 25. It has also been reported that these protestors vandalized a police station, shot fireworks, broke windows and attacked the officers.
"Some within the crowd of 100s of demonstrators vandalized the police station. Breaking windows, spray painting, shooting fireworks and pointing lasers at officers and helicopters. We ask for organizers to keep the protest peaceful," the official page of Oakland Police Department wrote. They also requested the Wall of Moms organizers as they wrote, "We at OPD support your right to demonstrate. We just ask that organizers #WallofMoms Refuse Fascism Bay Area, Vigil for Democracy to help us facilitate safe spaces and safe places for the demonstration."
Despite several attempts at making sure the protest was peaceful, the police reported some people chanting racial slurs as they wrote, "We ask organizers of tonight's protest to help maintain peace. Currently, some demonstrators in the area of 17th & Lakeside are breaking windows and chanting racial slurs at residents."
Aggregators also set the Alameda Country Superior Courthouse as the police reported, "Agitators within the crowd of demonstrators have set the Alameda County Superior Courthouse on fire. Please avoid the area. We are calling for peace and to have safe spaces and safe places for tonight's demonstration."
The police department further reported, "Fireworks and dangerous projectiles are some of the items agitators used to assault officers." As the police requested demonstrators to work with them, an unlawful assembly at the corner of 7th and Broadway was reported and the police asked the crowd to disperse.
"Agitators are breaching the barricades in front of the Police Department 7th and Broadway as we declare an unlawful assembly," they wrote. "We continue to ask the crowd to disperse as this is an unlawful assembly at 7th and Broadway."
Meanwhile, people at the protest have been sharing updates on their social media. "Peaceful but destructive protest in Oakland. Loved seeing people band together but hated hearing windows being smashed," one wrote. Another added, "Americans are overwhelmed->pandemic, leadership, police brutality, Federal crackdowns,... But what is happening in city after city in response is incredibly hopeful & inspiring. Stay strong!"