500 appear at Oakland sideshow, police union complains about staffing

500 cars at Oakland sideshow, police union complains about staffing

OAKLAND, Calif. - Two large East Bay sideshows drew hundreds of people early Sunday morning in Oakland and Richmond, where people set at least one car on fire and prompted a police union to complain about staffing levels.

Oakland sideshow, car on fire

In Oakland, a sideshow of about 500 people popped up in front of the CVS at 41st and Howe Streets between 2:15 a.m. and 5:30 a.m., according to visual evidence and the police union.

Video at the scene shows drivers spinning about and some people setting a black car on fire. The flames from the car looked eerie against the dark sky. One man is also seen opening and closing the door of the car repeatedly.

In a statement, Oakland police said officers wrote 21 citations and towed four vehicles. Police said they are also following up and if they find out that cars were involved, they may go to those homes and tow the vehicles.

Union says shortstaffed

In a separate statement sent by spokesman Sam Singer on Sunday afternoon, Oakland Police Officers Association President Huy Nguyen said that the department only had 16 police cars available to "address the chaos."

OPD has 515 officers, Nguyen said, when the department "should have 877 officers."

Nguyen also said, without elaborating, that there are "restrictive city policies that also hinder OPD's abilities."

The police chief has made public, however, that he would like to lift some of Oakland's strict "no chase" policies, though that subject seems to have been tabled for now.

"Police are doing everything in our power to help residents," Nguyen's statement said. "We ask neighbors to demand the city council and mayor hire more officers and retain the ones we have now."

Richmond sideshow

In Richmond, hundreds of people also took over the intersections of 23rd and Barrett avenues and Hensely Street and Richmond Parkway early Sunday morning.

There has been no official word of any arrests or injuries.