Activism

Days of Protest Spark Mixed Reactions, Oaklanders Question Who Leads Destruction

Published

4 years ago

June 4, 2020

Thousands of people took to Oakland streets beginning May 29 for what was largely a peaceful protest against the death of George Floyd, a Black man in Minneapolis, Minn., who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

Oakland protester Taylor energizes a growing crowd as they chant “No Justice, No Peace,” at Frank Ogawa Plaza on May 29. Thousands marched in Oakland on Friday protesting the death of George Floyd and demanding an end to police brutality. Photo by Michelle Snider.

By 11:00 p.m. on the first night of protests in the Bay Area, Twitter was filled with videos of looting and fires in Downtown Oakland. Walgreens on Broadway was looted and there were reports of a small fire inside. CVS on Broadway was also looted and the city center Starbucks was set on fire.

A Honda CR-V was driven off the Honda of Oakland showroom in front of a large crowd, and the brand new Target store on Broadway was smashed up, looted and is now to be closed indefinitely.

On Twitter, some were outraged at the looting and highlighted that the protests were mostly peaceful. A Chamber of Commerce representative said on May 30 that “a small band of well-mobilized vandals” had once again targeted the city’s merchants and most vulnerable people.”

More of what happened at the start of the looting in Oakland last night. I was there throughout the night, same narrative, white people inciting the violence and break-ins. They did not come here to protest, they did not come here for us. #OaklandProtest #GeorgeFloyd #BLM pic.twitter.com/wuXSOmF3gj
— peanut butter cup (@deshawnieboy) May 30, 2020

“We will not let out-of-town individuals undermine this legitimate protest and destroy our local economy,” said Barbara Leslie, president and CEO of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

Most businesses targeted were corporations, but some Black-owned and smaller businesses were targeted as well, including Oakland shop Queen Hippe Gypsy, owned by Lillianna Ayers — a Black woman.

After nightfall on May 29, a crowd attempted to gain access to I-880, throwing water bottles at police officers and launching a flare that started a small grass fire. Others headed toward the Oakland Police Department (OPD) building on Broadway and took a knee as they were met with a line of police officers.

A crowd attempts to gain access to the 880 freeway. A flare was launched by the crowd and started a small grass fire. Photo by Saskia Hatvany.

OPD swiftly deemed the protest an “unlawful gathering” and allowed three minutes for protesters to disperse before launching tear-gas.

Meanwhile, several small groups split off and proceeded to break the windows of Chase and Wells Fargo banks and other businesses. Trash cans were dragged into the streets and some were set ablaze.

After midnight, two federal officers were shot while on guard at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building at 1301 Clay St. One of them, Dave Patrick Underwood, succumbed to his injuries and died.

The shooting was called an “an act of domestic terrorism,” by Department of Homeland Security Acting Deputy Sec. Ken Cuccinelli at a Wash., D.C., news conference.

But California Gov. Gavin Newsom warned that the shooting should not be quickly associated with the acts of peaceful protesters. “No one should rush to conflate this heinous act with the protests last night,” he said.

Protesters kneel peacefully in front of a line of Oakland Police on Monday, May 29. Police declared the protest an “unlawful assembly,” and allowed three minutes for people to disperse before unleashing tear gas. Photo by Michelle Snider.

The looting continued throughout the weekend in downtown Oakland, Emeryville and the Fruitvale area, leading local officials to impose a curfew from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. on Monday. Several peaceful daytime protests also occurred, including a caravan of over 1,000 cars around Lake Merritt, and a march down Broadway on Monday from Oakland Technical High School at 42nd street that ended at the Oakland Police Department on Seventh street.

Approximately 15,000 people attended the Monday student-led rally and march, according to Oakland police who observed from a helicopter.

Saskia Hatvany

Posts by Saskia Hatvany

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Activism

WOMEN IMPACTING THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

Published

14 mins ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Juanita Matthews

Sister Juanita Matthews

55 Years with Oakland Public School District

The Teacher, Mother, Community Outreach Champion, And Child of God

Juanita Matthews, better known as “Sister Teacher,” is a walking Bible scholar. She moved to California from the great state of Arkansas in 1971. Sister Teacher has a passion for teaching. She has been a member of Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church since 1971. She followed her passion for teaching, and in 1977 became the lead teacher for Adult Class #6. Her motto still today is “Once My Student, Always My Student”.

Beyond her remarkable love for the Lord, Sister Teacher has showcased her love for teaching by working for the Oakland Unified School District for 55 years, all but four of those years spent at Emerson Elementary and Child Development School. She truly cares about her students, making sure they have the tools/supplies needed to learn either at OUSD or Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church.

She’s also had a “Clothes Closet Ministry” for 51 years, making sure her students have sufficient clothing for school. The Clothes Closet Ministry extends past her students, she has been clothing the community for over 50 years as well. She loves the Lord and is a servant on a mission. She is a loving mother to two beautiful children, Sandra and Andre. This is the impact this woman of God has on her church and the community.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Oakland’s ‘Green the Church,’ Others, Host a Climate Revival

On April 20, Oakland’s Green The Church California (GTC) and the Center For Food, Faith and Justice will celebrate Earth Day and present a Climate Revival event titled “Growing Healthy Communities From Soil To The Soul” at McGee Avenue Baptist Church at 1640 Stuart St, Berkeley, CA. The day will include inspiring talks, interactive workshops, networking opportunities, and a special panel on Food Sovereignty and Global Food Resilience.

Published

3 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

The revival will take place at McGee Avenue Baptist Church in Berkeley on April 20. Courtesy image.

Growing Healthy Communities from Soil to the Soul in Berkeley

By Y’Anad Burrell

The day will include inspiring talks, interactive workshops, networking opportunities, and a special panel on Food Sovereignty and Global Food Resilience.

The keynote speaker is Rev. Danté R. Quick, PhD, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, N.J. Quick is well known in the Bay Area, having served for more than 10 years as pastor of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Vallejo, CA.

Green The Church, founded in 2010 by Rev. Dr. Ambrose Carroll, Sr., and headquartered in Oakland, helps galvanize Black churches and their local communities and leaders to address issues critical to populations historically disengaged from conversations around pollution and health, climate change, and sustainability and energy efficiency.

The organization collaborates with major environmental, sustainability, food security, faith, and community-based non-profit organizations, and is committed to “creation justice”—care and justice for God’s people and the planet—and building the Beloved Community.

Environmental justice has long been a pressing concern for communities of color who bear the brunt of pollution and ecological degradation. Climate change exacerbates these issues, disproportionately impacting vulnerable communities. Recognizing this urgency, Black churches across the country are taking action.

With deep roots in the African American community and its commitment to social justice, the Black Church has become an essential advocate for sustainable practices and policies.

Over the past 14 years, in a powerful collaboration with significant environmental, sustainability, food security, faith, and community-based non-profit organizations, GTC has created a cadre of Black churches engaging in the environmental justice, climate, and sustainability movement.

GTC presently works with more than 1,000 pastors and congregations across the U.S., and groups in the Bahamas, Ghana, Nigeria, and the UK, showing that we can make a difference together.

The partnership between environmental justice advocates and the Black Church extends beyond individual congregations. Green The Church provides resources and support for faith communities seeking to address climate change and promote environmental justice.

Through collaboration, initiatives such as energy efficiency programs, solar installations, and environmental education have been implemented in Black churches nationwide. These efforts reduce the carbon footprint and save money on energy bills, benefiting the congregations and their communities.

The involvement of the Black Church in the fight against climate change is not just a participation, it’s a powerful message that galvanizes action across communities.

By integrating environmental justice into their ministry, Black churches are demonstrating that addressing climate change is not only a matter of science but also of social and moral responsibility, inspiring change at a grassroots level.

For more information, go to: www.greenthechurch.org.