Protests over BART shooting turn violent **Photos**

[cboy4]

Demian Bulwa, Charles Burress, Matthew B. Stannard,Matthai Kuruvila, Chronicle Staff Writers
Thursday, January 8, 2009

A protest over the fatal shooting by a BART police officer of an unarmed man mushroomed into several hours of violence Wednesday night as demonstrators smashed storefronts and cars, set several cars ablaze and blocked streets in downtown Oakland.

The roving mob expressed fury at police and frustration over society's racial injustice. Yet the demonstrators were often indiscriminate, frequently targeting the businesses and prized possessions of people of color. :wtf:

They smashed a hair salon, a pharmacy and several restaurants. Police in riot gear tried to control the crowd, but some people retreated along 14th Street and bashed cars along the way.

The mob smashed the windows at Creative African Braids on 14th Street, and a woman walked out of the shop holding a baby in her arms.

"This is our business," shouted Leemu Topka, the black owner of the salon she started four years ago. "This is our shop. This is what you call a protest?"

Wednesday night's vandalism victims had nothing to do with the shooting death by a BART police officer of Oscar Grant on New Year's Day - but that did little to sway the mob.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/07/MN2N155CN1.DTL


Leemu Topka, holding her baby, runs from vandals that smashed her storefront window as Oakland Police move down the street during a protest that mushroomed out of control in downtown Oakland on Wed. Jan. 7, 2009 in Oakland, Calif. (Lacy Atkins / The Chronicle)

[Le Taz Hot]

1. Kick

Is there any DUer out there than can offer up an explanation on this other than sheer mob violence? Help me understand.

[Obamanaut]

2. I believe it is a way of the 'mob' punishing anyone who gives

the appearance of having more than they themselves do. Similar to the way crabs in boiling water will tend to pull back any potential escapees.

[cboy4]

3. This same thing happened when the Raiders lost the Super

Bowl in 2003.



There are people who will look for any reason to riot and loot.

What happened in Oakland last night is ridiculous .. instead of keeping the protest at the BART station, they took to the streets .. taking out their aggression on African American businesses and Oakland police officers who had nothing to do with the shooting.

DUMB :dunce:

[ogneopasno]

4. Yep, that's the way to get your message out. Some people will look for any excuse to mess shit up.

[cboy4]

5. Yup.

I'm not sure they helped anything with that performance.

[Winterblues]

6. While I agree there needs to be some form of massive protest

Bring this atrocity to full public awareness and demand justice but the rioting and destruction of property is just criminal thugs that need to be put away for a while. America needs to be taught about RESPECT. Respect for people, property, and the Earth.. Without that we as a nation are doomed.