A protest through the streets of downtown Oakland, California, in support of racial justice and police reform turned violent when “agitators” among protesters set fire to a courtroom, tore apart a police station, and fired fireworks at the agents.
OAKLAND, California – A protest through the streets of downtown Oakland, California, in support of racial justice and police reform turned violent when “agitators” among protesters set fire to a courtroom, tore apart a police station, and fired fireworks officers, authorities said.
About 700 protesters participated in what started as a peaceful march on Saturday night, but then some broke away from the larger group and smashed windows, painted with spray and laser, targeting officers, the Oakland Police Department said in Twitter Several tweets called for peace and asked the organizers to “help us provide safe spaces and safe places for protesters.”
Several fires were started in the city center, including one in the Alameda County Superior Court that was quickly contained. Police said protesters at one point were “breaking windows and singing racial slurs to residents.” Photos tweeted by the department showed broken glass and splattered paint on the police headquarters building.
The video released by police showed a man breaking down barricades in front of the building after police declared an “illegal assembly” around 11:30 p.m. and officers asked the crowd to disperse. Police said they made several arrests but did not provide details. There were no immediate reports of injuries to protesters or officials.
The protest started earlier Saturday night with groups like the “Moms Wall,” similar to a group that formed in Portland, Oregon, when protesters clashed with US agents deployed there to protect a federal court. . President Donald Trump had sent federal agents to quell the protests that occurred every night since George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis on May 25.
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