Activism

OPD Detains Homeless Aid Volunteers, Violates Mask Policy

Published

4 years ago

May 21, 2020

Cassidy Taylor, a volunteer for the mutual aid and protest group, the United Front Against Displacement (UFAD), poses in front of a hand washing station before a protest against police activity on and near Wood Street in West Oakland, where a large community if unhoused Oakland residents live. Photo by Zack Haber.

Oakland Police Department (OPD) officers detained and handcuffed two volunteers last Saturday who were maintaining a freshwater supply for a large community of unhoused residents that live near Wood Street in West Oakland for possession of a stolen vehicle, but let them go after approximately five minutes when they determined the vehicle wasn’t stolen.

Cassidy Taylor, one of the volunteers OPD detained, says she feels at least one of the four officers present recognized her, and that their actions were in retaliation.

“He definitely recognized me. I feel like I was targeted. The police know that we’re trying to build links with the community and that we have a history of resisting attempts to evict homeless folks. I think they want to antagonize us because of that,” said Taylor.

A video of Taylor’s detainment shows one officer not wearing a mask while handcuffing her. In an email to The Oakland Post, OPD confirmed that officers not wearing a face covering while “engaged in essential government functions…where the public is present or likely to be” violates an Alameda County Health Official Order that, since April 17, the department has committed to upholding due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While OPD did not say whether or not the officer would face consequences for violating the order, they did say “The incident has been forwarded to our Internal Affairs Division.”

OPD has tested over 330 of its over 700 officers. In a press release published on May 19, OPD announced that “In the evening of May 18, the Oakland Police Department had their 4th reported case where a member tested positive for COVID-19.” A May 20 press release confirmed a 5th officer tested positive. Both officers are currently in quarantine.

Taylor is a member of the United Front Against Displacement (UFAD), a group that provides survival and life enrichment services for unhoused Wood Street residents while advocating and protesting for the city of Oakland to provide permanent housing for all its residents.

UFAD has constructed and maintained three water tanks and seven hand washing stations in the area. A separate volunteer organization, the Berkeley Free Clinic (BFC), has installed and maintained four handwashing stations and one water barrel near Wood Street.

Although the city of Oakland has arranged for a nonprofit, Lava Mae, to provide showers to unhoused residents in the area on Thursdays, daily use of water comes largely from UFAD’s and BFC’s resources, resources the city isn’t providing.

UFAD’s work means they’re at the site often. Dale Smith, who’s worked with UFAD for over a year and is on or near Wood Street at least three to four times a week says he sees police there every time he’s on-site, “a noticeable increase” from before shelter in place, when he says he’d only see them sometimes on Wood Street, as opposed to now, when he sees them just west of Wood Street, closer to where more people live.

“I see them driving kind of recklessly down [the site’s] dirt roads” said Smith.

Smith expressed concern about this way of driving because he says people live right next to the site’s dirt roads, and reckless driving puts residents in danger.

In a May 17 press release, OPD said “The Department has increased its presence in West Oakland as a result of challenges with crimes. Residents have continued to voice concerns about criminal activity in [the Wood Street] area including shootings, assaults, sale and use of narcotics. Within the last two months, eight stolen vehicles have been recovered from [the Wood Street] area.”

Jesse Parker, a long term unhoused resident of Wood Street and lifelong Oakland resident expressed concern about the increased police presence.

“[The increased police presence] doesn’t feel good at all. They’re taking the wrong people to jail. You got a couple [officers] wearing masks but the rest of them don’t,” said Parker.

OPD said they’ve arrested five people for possession of the stolen vehicle in the last two months. One of the five arrested told the Oakland Post they didn’t steal but only temporarily sought shelter inside the vehicle they were arrested for stealing. Since the vehicle wasn’t running they said they assumed it was abandoned.

On May 18, Taylor and over a dozen members of the UFAD as well as unhoused Wood Street residents, protested OPD’s increased presence at Wood Street.

“I think [police] were [at Wood Street] to intimidate us…because we’re not just building handwashing stations for our homeless, we’re building people power. We’re building a future for people where they can determine their own lives,” said Taylor at the protest outside of Oakland’s City Hall.

Zack Haber

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Activism

S.F. Black Leaders Rally to Protest, Discuss ‘Epidemic’ of Racial Slurs Against Black Students in SF Public School System

Parents at the meeting spoke of their children as no longer feeling safe in school because of bullying and discrimination. Parents also said that reported incidents such as racial slurs and intimidation are not dealt with to their satisfaction and feel ignored.

Published

2 days ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church. Photo courtesy Third Baptist Church.

By Carla Thomas

San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church hosted a rally and meeting Sunday to discuss hatred toward African American students of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD).

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church, along with leadership from local civil rights groups, the city’s faith-based community and Black community leadership convened at the church.

“There has been an epidemic of racial slurs and mistreatment of Black children in our public schools in the city,” said Brown. “This will not be tolerated.”

According to civil rights advocate Mattie Scott, students from elementary to high school have reported an extraordinary amount of racial slurs directed at them.

“There is a surge of overt racism in the schools, and our children should not be subjected to this,” said Scott. “Students are in school to learn, develop, and grow, not be hated on,” said Scott. “The parents of the children feel they have not received the support necessary to protect their children.”

Attendees were briefed last Friday in a meeting with SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Matt Wayne.

SFUSD states that their policies protect children and they are not at liberty to publicly discuss the issues to protect the children’s privacy.

Some parents said they have removed their students from school while other parents and community leaders called on the removal of the SFUSD superintendent, the firing of certain school principals and the need for more supportive school board members.

Community advocates discussed boycotting the schools and creating Freedom Schools led by Black leaders and educators, reassuring parents that their child’s wellbeing and education are the highest priority and youth are not to be disrupted by racism or policies that don’t support them.

Virginia Marshall, chair of the San Francisco NAACP’s education committee, offered encouragement to the parents and students in attendance while also announcing an upcoming May 14 school board meeting to demand accountability over their mistreatment.

“I’m urging anyone that cares about our students to pack the May 14 school board meeting,” said Marshall.

This resource was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library via California Black Media as part of the Stop the Hate Program. The program is supported by partnership with California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Oakland Ambassadors Strengthen Ties and Aid Efforts in Ghana

Oakland natives and esteemed members of the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG), Jonathan P. Jones and Dr. Maritony Efua Jones, recently embarked on a significant journey to Ghana as guests of the World Martial Authority Ghana. This trip signifies a crucial opportunity to bolster partnerships, explore new avenues of collaboration, and contribute to impactful initiatives in Ghana.

Published

2 days ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Elder Jorg Klebingat, Flint Mensah, Richard Burton, H.E. Dr. Maritony Jones, Amb. Jonathan Jones, Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, Elder Alfred Kyungu. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

This trip signifies a crucial opportunity to bolster partnerships, explore new avenues of collaboration, and contribute to impactful initiatives in Ghana.

Upon their arrival at Katota Airport in Accra, Ghana, the Joneses were warmly received by His Royal Majesty Okatakyie Asafo Boakye III, the distinguished king of Sanzule Kingdom in the Eastern Nzema, and Etse Nyamedi of World Martial Authority, Ghana.

Nyamedi accompanied the Joneses to the city of Mepe, which had recently experienced flooding, to assess damages and engage with local leaders, elders, and youth regarding the city’s urgent needs after major floods last fall.

Key concerns and priorities identified by the community include comprehensive flood mitigation measures, agricultural support, housing initiatives, educational enhancements, improved healthcare access, and the development of communal recreational spaces.

The Joneses were also graciously invited to meet with leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at their headquarters in Accra. This meeting provided insights into ongoing humanitarian efforts in Ghana and explored avenues for collaboration to further assist Ghanaian communities.

The LDS leaders shared their prompt response to the recent flood, demonstrating their commitment to humanitarian aid by dispatching substantial supplies including medical provisions, sanitation items, blankets, and food to assist flood victims just four days after the disaster.

Additionally, Boakye extended a special invitation to the Joneses to his palace, where they were pleasantly surprised with a heartfelt recognition ceremony. Maritony Jones was honored as the Queen Mother of the Sanzule Kingdom in acknowledgment of her dedicated work, while Jonathan Jones was lauded and welcomed as the ambassador of the Sanzule Kingdom, symbolizing a meaningful homecoming to their ancestral land.

The visit not only strengthens ties between Oakland and Ghana but also underscores the collaborative spirit and commitment to meaningful progress and humanitarian endeavors shared by all involved parties.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Calif. Anti-Sex Trafficking Advocates Discuss Competing Bills, Strategies

Advocates from across California are challenging state officials and community leaders to support legislation that provides resources and services for survivors and victims of human trafficking, as well as assistance as they transition back into civil society.  Some of those advocates are also calling for more effective state policy to curtail trafficking, a crime that has an outsized impact on Black children, particularly girls.

Published

3 days ago

May 3, 2024

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Some of those advocates are also calling for more effective state policy to curtail trafficking, a crime that has an outsized impact on Black children, particularly girls.

According to the FBI, a report covering a two-year period found Black children accounted for 57% of all juvenile arrests for prostitution. In addition, 40% of sex trafficking victims were Black and 60% of those victims had been enrolled in the foster care system.

“It is time to hold the perpetrators who take advantage of our children accountable,” said the Rev. Shane Harris, a San Diego-based activist, former foster youth and founder of the Peoples Association of Justice Advocates, (PAJA), a national civil rights organization and policy think tank.

“It is time to send a thorough message that if you seek to buy a child for sex, you will pay the highest criminal penalties in this state,” added Harris who was speaking at a rally at the State Capitol earlier this month. Harris was speaking in support of Senate Bill 1414, authored by Sen. Shannon Grove (D-Bakersfield), which calls for people who buy sex from minors to be punished with a felony. The punishment includes a two-year prison sentence and a $25,000 fine.

Harris said the PAJA is the only civil rights organization in the state that supports SB 1414.

Harris urged other Black-led groups who favor anti-trafficking legislation more focused on criminal justice reforms (as opposed to stiffer penalties), to “join the movement.”

Many of those civil rights groups fear that SB 1414 could lead to the incarceration of more Black youth.

Those sentiments were echoed in a panel discussion organized by Black women advocates on April 26 to examine the cause and effects of human trafficking in California’s Black communities. The virtual event was hosted by the Forgotten Children, Inc, a faith-based nonprofit that advocates for survivors and victims of human trafficking through anti-trafficking campaigns and initiatives.

Panelists shared the psychological impact of sexual exploitation on youth and children in the long term.

Author and educator Dr. Stephany Powell shared statistics and information revealing that African American women and girls are the most trafficked nationwide.

Powell, who serves as the senior advisor on law enforcement and policy at the National Center on Sexual Exploitation said that national data indicates that sex trade survivors are disproportionately women of color. She stated that male survivors often go unnoticed because boys rarely report trafficked crimes.

Powell said that decriminalizing prostitution in California could increase human trafficking. She argued that Senate Bill 357, authored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), which was signed into law in 2022 and legalized loitering for prostitution, caused a surge in street-level prostitution.

Panelist and psychologist Dr. Gloria Morrow shared opposing views on decriminalizing prostitution. She said that decriminalizing prostitution could help survivors gain access to state resources and support.

Despite opposing views, Powell and Morrow agree that the Black community needs resources and educational programs to address human trafficking.