Just keep voting Democrat like a good slave
Posted on 01/27/2003 6:13:22 AM PST by new cruelty
Anarchy broke out on the streets of Oakland Sunday night when beefed- up police forces proved inadequate to stem eruptions of mayhem after the Raiders' loss in the Super Bowl.
Hundreds of police with riot gear, squad cars and helicopters were no match for larger numbers of troublemakers in scattered locations along International Boulevard who set fires, smashed windows and destroyed property, including a McDonald's restaurant that was ransacked and partially burned.
More than 50 blocks of International had stretches of virtually lawless zones nearly three hours after the Super Bowl.
At least 12 cars were set on fire, many windows were smashed, some businesses were broken into and looted, bus benches were pushed over and street signs ripped down as police battled bottle-throwing rioters with tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-stun grenades.
Extra police officers -- about 400 in all -- had been summoned to cope with possible riots in case the Raiders won, after a post-victory melee the week before when revelers burned out an auto-repair shop, smashed windows, destroyed a car and lit fires in the street. This time, about 250 Oakland police officers were joined by Alameda County sheriff's deputies, California Highway Patrol officers and Oakland Housing Authority officers, said Oakland police spokesman George Phillips.
But the post-defeat mayhem after the Super Bowl proved worse.
"We lost, and that bothers a lot of the young people out here," said Hannibal Willis, a member of the rap group Hazardous Materials. "A lot of them are real Raider friends. I ain't gonna lie -- if we had won, we would have done the same thing, but milder."
The trouble began about a half hour after the Raiders lost to Tampa Bay, when a crowd of about 200 people began gathering at International Boulevard and 37th Avenue and began marching up International, the same area where the mini-riot occurred the week before.
They taunted police, jumped on cars and threw bottles. The noisy crowd screamed and yelled, "Raiders rule. F-- the police."
About 60 officers formed a phalanx across International and stopped the crowd from advancing, firing tear gas and flash-bang grenades that sent troublemakers running down side streets. One car was nearly turned over before the driver managed to escape. Police closed the street to traffic.
But within minutes, things elsewhere got out of control and -- off and on --
stayed that way for the next five hours. As soon as police rushed to one hot spot, the rioters would regroup elsewhere.
Several burned-out cars were visible at the intersection of International and 63rd Avenue, where a McDonald's had its windows and signs smashed, supplies ransacked and sustained fire damage.
Manager Richard Hsieh and friends quickly began boarding up the windows. Asked whether he was surprised by the damage, he said, "No, I've lived in Oakland for 25 years. What can I say?"
A group of police officers in riot gear stood on the street nearby with a dozen people in their teens and 20s facing them from 15 yards away.
"If we approach them, we get bottles thrown," said Sgt. Ralph Leu. "This is their entertainment. Some are probably locals, but some have come from out of town for the action."
At 49th and International, a Kelly Moore paint store was broken into and looted.
At 90th and International, a group of young people threw bottles at police, forcing officers there to retreat to 92nd Avenue and regroup.
Another crowd set fires in International near 63rd Avenue. When fire trucks arrived, they were hit with rocks, bottles and debris. A convoy of Oakland police sheriff's deputies and California Highway Patrol officers struggled to seal the firefighters off from the crowd.
"We're taking rocks and bottles from everywhere, we need to clear out," one sergeant told his supervisors by radio at 63rd Avenue.
Sideshows with cars doing "doughnuts" and burning rubber could be seen on side streets.
"It's how we do it out here," said 18-year-old "Opp," who gave no last name.
"You better take your s-- home -- it's East Oakland."
Members of the crowd shouted: "It's town business, it's what we do!"
The absence of police in some stretches of International opened the area to chaos as hundreds of people milled about, damaging property, throwing trash into the streets and setting small fires in trash and grass.
"You can definitely say we're outnumbered," Oakland Police Officer Robert Roche said. "You don't have to be a math genius to see that." Roche said.
At least one news photographer was roughed up and assaulted with thrown bottles.
As midnight approached, the recklessness continued between 90th and 93rd avenues, where 300 to 400 people continued wandering the streets causing trouble.
By that time, International, from 37th to 66th avenues, was a mess.
Fire officials said three firefighters suffered minor injuries. No arrest total was given, but police said at a late press conference that they had jailed 25 people and were sending an additional busload to Santa Rita jail for public drunkenness.
Fire Chief Gerald Simon said the city was a lot more prepared this week: "The response this week (compared to last) is more consistent and thought through."
Police said they were forced to retreat from a barrage of rocks and bottles at International and 44th Avenue.
Many revelers, however, said they arrived simply to be part of a post-game party.
A few blocks from the mayhem, Manuel Ramirez stood in the bed of his pickup on International, waving a Raiders flag, with a rap song blaring: "We're just out here supporting the team." Cars driving by honked in support.
Ramirez, a 12-year neighborhood resident, said the people doing damage weren't from the neighborhood.
On tree-lined 60th Avenue near International where families have lived for 30 years, residents sat out on their stoops as people danced in the streets.
But after police left, several cars were set on fire -- treated like a bonfire by some of the troublemakers.
An older woman who has lived in the neighborhood since 1969 said, "I don't like this at all. It makes me feel safer with the police."
As she looked at a young man dressed in black Raider gear, she said, "Oh,
oh, who is that? What are they doing there? We've never had problems here. It's the Raider Nation -- these Raider Nation people."
"It's the Raiders' fault -- blame it on the Raiders," Akela Thomas, 19, shouted. "If they would've won, we wouldn't be doing this."
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
But of course.
Just keep voting Democrat like a good slave
Yup.
... such as the Raiders decision not to establish a running game early in the Superbowl.
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