01-07-12 KTVU
OAKLAND, Calif. — A sign expressed it all — an expletive directed toward police was the message of Saturday night’s protest through downtown Oakland.
More than 50 Oakland police officers stood guard outside headquarters as roughly 100 people protested the authorities.
Protesters were asked via Twitter to come to Frank Ogawa Plaza Saturday night, dress in all black and march to Oakland police headquarters.
The march, Organized by occupy Oakland, was expected to begin at 8 p.m., but the hundreds of protesters gathered at the corner of 14th and Broadway for an hour before they marched at 9 p.m.
Demonstrators held signs that read, “Stop the police,” and “Native Americans United.”
Six people are facing charges after Oakland police say they broke the windows of police cars, vandalized a KTVU News van and threw bottles at police officers.
Police spokeswoman Johnna Watson says the six were arrested on a variety of charges, including assaulting officers, possession of explosives and vandalism during a march and protest in downtown Oakland late Saturday.
Watson says officers found and an explosive device described as a quarter stick of dynamite on one of the suspects they arrested.
A KTVU news van’s tire was slashed, camera cables were ripped out and an anarchist symbol was scrawled on on the side of the van.
A downtown Oakland Starbucks was also the victim of the protesters graffiti.
Sunday morning boards replaced windows that were smashed by protesters.
KTVU met with Oakland Mayor Jean Quan Saturday who explained that she was concerned with the seemingly aggressive and possibly more volatile action planned for Saturday night.
Oakland police wouldn’t comment about Saturday night’s action.
Officers were stationed at several street corners and along Broadway toward police headquarters, but weren’t wearing riot gear.