Oakland, California, has been experiencing a surge in illegal sideshows, as captured in a video recorded on 80th Avenue and International Boulevard, further complicating the city’s ongoing struggles with public safety.
Despite an Oakland police weekly crime report indicating an 8% drop in homicides year-to-date, the majority of crimes, such as aggravated assault, burglary, carjacking, rape, and robbery, are on the rise.
Barry Donelan, president of the Oakland Police Officers’ Association, described the situation as a “perfect storm” of violent crime, understaffing, and lack of consequences driving these crime stats. He explained that a 20% increase in 911 calls and a reduced number of officers have resulted in longer response times, contributing to the rise in crime figures.
In an effort to reinforce the Oakland Police Department, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the deployment of the California Highway Patrol in Oakland in the first week of August. Although the highway patrol has been active in East Oakland, they did not intervene in the sideshow enforcement over the weekend.
According to OPD officials, there were multiple reports of sideshow activity over the weekend. However, no arrests were made or citations issued, and no injuries were reported.
This uptick in illegal sideshow activities serves as a reminder of the importance of stringent law enforcement and community vigilance in maintaining public safety.