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Oakland City Attorney sues alleged looters and vandals for Mehserle protest damage

on October 29, 2010

On Thursday, the Oakland City Attorney’s Office announced it was suing four people for their alleged role in the looting and vandalism that followed the protests after the Johannes Mehserle verdict on July 8, 2010.

Former BART police officer Mehserle was convicted by a Los Angeles court of involuntary manslaughter in the 2009 shooting death of Oscar Grant. In court, Mehserle testified that he had mistaken his pistol for his Taser shock weapon.

Although the day began with a large, officially-sanctioned peaceful protest in downtown Oakland, after night fell a smaller group of individuals turned violent. Despite efforts by civic groups, city officials and the Oakland Police Department to maintain calm, provide alternative venues for protesters, and safeguard downtown businesses, after dark some protesters broke into and looted shops, set a series of trashcan and dumpster fires, spray painted buildings, and threw glass bottles at police officers. By the end of the evening, 78 people had been arrested and at least 12 businesses had been looted or vandalized.

“Some individuals used the gathering — and the tragic death of Oscar Grant — as an excuse to commit acts of violence, loot homegrown businesses, vandalize public property and lash out in childish and destructive ways,” stated the City Attorney’s Office Thursday in a press release announcing the suit.

Downtown damage included the shattering of the front windows of the Foot Locker on Broadway and 14th Street and the theft of shoes and t-shirts, the breaking of windows at Sears, and the breaking of a window at Japanese restaurant Ozumo at Broadway and Grand Avenue. Graffiti was also painted on several buildings including the phrase “Say no to work, yes to looting” on the wall of the Bank of the West on Broadway.

The following week, the Oakland Police Department released photos of several alleged looters and asked the public for help identifying them.

On Thursday, the City Attorney’s Office announced it would seek a total of $100,000 in damages from two men allegedly caught with gold jewelry stolen from JC Jewelry on Broadway, where the crowd tore through a security gate, broke a window, and stole property. If recovered, this penalty can be awarded to the business owners. The City Attorney’s Office will also be seeking unspecified damages against two people allegedly filmed by police as they spray painted public property, one of whom also tried to punch an undercover officer and steal his camera, according to OPD reports.

“The individuals who set fires, assaulted journalists, robbed local business owners and incited chaos were not here for justice,” City Attorney John Russo said in the press release. “Sadly, it appears they were here for no other reason than to get an emotional rush from destruction of property, theft and lawlessness. Oakland will not tolerate this disrespect.”

Mehserle is scheduled to be sentenced on November 5, 2010. His attorney, Michael Rains, has asked the court for a new trial, saying the defense team has uncovered evidence that could have changed the outcome of this summer’s trial.

The City Attorney’s full press release is here.

Image: Inside Foot Locker during the Mehserle verdict protest. Photo courtesy of the Oakland Police Department.  

Read our past coverage of the Johannes Mehserle trial on Oakland North here.

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5 Comments

  1. OakGirl on October 29, 2010 at 1:30 pm

    Now this is Good News in Oakland



    • len raphael on October 29, 2010 at 8:00 pm

      3 out of the four people indicted were Oakland residents.

      So much for our City’s noble attempt to spin the Grant Riots II as “the work of outside agitators”

      -len raphael, temescal
      Yes on P(erata)
      No on Q(uan)
      Yes on K(ilian) for auditor
      BB the big lie



      • James Huber on October 29, 2010 at 8:35 pm

        Keep in mind that it’s not 3 out of 4 looters that are local, but 3 out of 4 *identified* looters that are local. It’s gotta be hard to identify anyone and extra hard to identify someone from out of the area.



  2. […] After July’s involuntary manslaughter verdict, formerly peaceful city-sanctioned protests in downtown Oakland turned violent and led to looting and scattered violence. At least 12 businesses were vandalized and 78 people were arrested after the city-sanctioned rally ended. The city attorney’s office has since filed suit against four alleged looters. […]



  3. […] After July’s involuntary manslaughter verdict, peaceful city-sanctioned protests in downtown Oakland turned violent with at least 12 businesses vandalized and 78 people arrested, including many non-Oakland residents. The city attorney’s office has since filed suit against four alleged looters. […]



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Oakland North is an online news service produced by students at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and covering Oakland, California. Our goals are to improve local coverage, innovate with digital media, and listen to you–about the issues that concern you and the reporting you’d like to see in your community. Please send news tips to: oaklandnorthstaff@gmail.com.

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