All photos by Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group.
The Contra Costa Times reports that group of over 100 participated in a march organized by Occupy Oakland from Frank H. Ogawa Plaza to the North County Jail and back, on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the shooting of Oscar Grant by BART police officer Johannes Mehserle. A few citations were handed out but no arrests were made according to police.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that two protests were planned for New Year’s Eve by Occupy Oakland. They wrote that the first protest was a vigil to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the killing of Oscar Grant: “On New Year’s Day, there will be a vigil from noon to 4 p.m., at the Fruitvale BART Station to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the fatal shooting of Oscar Grant by a BART police officer. The event is being billed as a celebration with live music and a guest appearance by Ryan Coogler, director of the movie ‘Fruitvale Station.'”
On New Year’s Eve night Occupy Oakland “put out the call to gather at Frank Ogawa Plaza at 9:30 p.m. New Year’s Eve for a march to the North County Jail on Sixth Street downtown.” People were “encouraged to bring ‘friends, noisemakers, fireworks’ to ‘bring the noise to inmates.'”
The Chronicle also reported that “the Oakland Police Department will have extra patrols downtown and throughout the city Tuesday night, according to spokeswoman Johnna Watson. Officers will be working to ‘facilitate the protests and marches’ as well as staying on the lookout for amateur fireworks and celebratory gunfire, which have become problems during New Year’s celebrations in Oakland.” Reportedly a “majority” of the Oakland police force will be on the streets.
Two videos below from the Bay Area News Group.