Oakland police say looting and car fire were not connected to anti-ICE vigil
Oakland Police say looting and car fire not connected to peaceful anti-ICE vigil
Oakland police say looting of a shoe store and a car fire were not connected to Tuesday's anti-ICE vigil. Some business owners and the Oakland Police Officers Association expressed concern, though, about a shortage of officers to handle public safety during large events.
OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland Police Department said Wednesday that the looting at a store and a car fire were not connected to the peaceful protest the night before in East Oakland.
No connection to protest
Police say about 30 suspects entered the Shiekh Shoes store near 34th and International Boulevard around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, just blocks from the Fruitvale Village where a peaceful protest against U.S. immigration raids had taken place earlier in the evening.
Also nearby, one vehicle was set on fire and police say some people threw objects at police officers and damaged a police vehicle.
Video shows a crowd stealing merchandise from the store and running out with armfuls of goods. Police say they arrested one person who was carrying stolen items and burglary tools.
Cleaning up the mess
On Wednesday, the store was closed, and staff inside were cleaning up the mess.
Business owners adjacent to the store were also outside, sweeping up broken glass and trash left behind.
'We had to clean up a lot of boxes everywhere, garbage everywhere," Deep Singh, a business owner next door said. "I think it's stupid, with us as business owners having to deal with all the stuff...people that are robbing and looting. There are a lot of Hispanic workers...they can't work no more because they're closed. They lost money."
Concerns about Oakland police staffing
Some business owners and the Oakland Police Officers Association say they are concerned about Oakland's ability to handle public safety and people taking advantage of peaceful protests to commit crimes.
"Oftentimes, people try to show up and want to take advantage of the event that's going on, hijack the event, especially when it gets dark," Huy Nguyen, OPOA President said.
Nguyen said the Oakland Police Department has a staffing shortage, with fewer than 600 officers on full duty, due to officers on medical or other leave. As a result, he says the department had to take some officers off their neighborhood patrols to help cover the event.
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"We are modifying hours of officers and if it gets to the point of canceling days off, we'll have to make sure [we have] adequate staffing," Nguyen said, adding that people criticize police overtime in the budget, but most officers don't want the overtime and some have left the department because they feel overworked.
Praise for peace
At a media event Wednesday, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee praised the peaceful protest, and said she contacted the victims of the looting and crimes.
"We've reached out to everyone who has been impacted by what took place last night," Mayor Lee said.
She also warned that anyone trying to use protests as a cover for violence and crime will be prosecuted.
"We have a right to protest through our First Amendment Rights, but we don't have the right to allow violence, destruction of property or any type of non-peaceful violent activity to occur," Lee said.
In a statement, the Oakland Police Department said they will work to protect peaceful protestors and apprehend anyone who commits criminal acts, but will not be participating in any ICE activity.
"The Oakland Police Department (OPD) is actively monitoring situations nationwide. In compliance with city policy, OPD does not enforce or assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials in enforcing civil immigration law violations," the OPD statement read.
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