Many defied a curfew in Oakland Wednesday night to support youth who had protested peacefully Monday and who police hit with tear gas Monday evening, leaders of the Anti Police-Terror Project said.
At 11 p.m., dozens were dancing at 14th Street and Broadway in Oakland near City Hall. The protest appeared peaceful and ended before midnight. Police stayed some distance from the crowd.
Earlier in the day, police held a news conference to share what they see as three different components of the recent protests, from peaceful marches to destructive looting to “violent disruptors and professional agitators” that triggered crowd control measures such as smoke and gas.
“What we’ve seen and experienced over these past five days is unprecedented,” Oakland police Chief Susan Manheimer said about the destruction, looting and violence.
Deputy Chief Leronne Armstrong said it has been a very difficult time that started with protests last week over the Memorial Day death of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of a white police officer.
Armstrong said Oakland police officers have had bottles and rocks thrown at them as well as Molotov cocktails. In addition, police received information that people would be attempting to burn down the Oakland Police Department, Armstrong said.
Protesters in Minneapolis set fire to the precinct where the officer allegedly responsible for Floyd’s death was assigned.