Community Post

Protest of Bay area cop verdict leaves graffiti at 23rd & Union

Last night several of our Twitter friends told us about an impromptu protest that marched up and down Union.

The signs and chants of the marchers said that they were protesting the recent manslaughter verdict against a transit police officer who shot and killed an unarmed man on an Oakland subway platform in 2009. The victim’s family and supporters expressed dismay that the officer escaped a more serious charge of murder.


The protest in the Central District last night left some indelible marks on the side of the SPD drop-in center at 23rd & Union. When we got there this morning, we found Earl of the nearby Earl’s Cuts and Styles out with a pressure washer and solvents trying to clean the graffiti off. He said he’d spent $20 so far and been out there since 7am, and was having hard time getting the red paint out of the beige stucco siding.

 

 

Earl of Earl’s Cuts and Styles cleaning off the graffiti

0 thoughts on “Protest of Bay area cop verdict leaves graffiti at 23rd & Union

  1. Thanks Earl!

    Although I do think the Oakland officer should have been charged with murder. He blasted an unarmed subdued man lying on the ground in front of dozens of witnesses.

  2. Hmmm.

    I watched the video, “blasted” is a little more provocative than is warranted…

    Kneeling on the back of a prone and subdued suspect, the officers weapon goes off. By expressions on many faces it was clear this was an accidental discharge.

    An accident of this nature is unexcuseable, the results horrific. My heart goes out to all who lost a friend or family member that day. BUT…we have issues in this world (sometimes legitimate) regarding police brutality, or melodrama about fear of police brutality. We do not need to make trouble where there is none.

    The man deserves to go to jail. He was sentenced to do so. Manslaughter seems a completely appropriate charge. I understand why the family disagrees. But someone hundreds of miles away tagging something? C’mon. Maybe our discussions need to be just a little more responsible…

    What I really got on here to say was WAY TO GO EARL! I see your whole kit (water pressure system, etc…) you have got it figured out. Nice!

  3. I appreciate you getting out there and trying to clean up!

    Why the need for graffiti in the CD in reaction to this?
    Do they not have any other way of expressing their dismay? Wasn’t that what the march was all about?

    Oh an WhoseitWhatsit: The officer pulled his weapon out while seated on the back of the victim then proceeded to stand up and discharge the weapon. He was not sitting down when the weapon discharged. Reportedly, the officer stated that it was an accident as he thought he had drawn is taser. The expression on many peoples face is of disbelief. Surrounding civilians as well as fellow officers are shocked and confused as to why this officer shot the victim. This was not an accidental discharge.

  4. Fine, don’t need to argue with you about it. Prosecutor was going for murder, a jury returned manslaughter. I did not investigate to see where the trial was held, nor did I investigate the racial make-up of the jury. But somehow, i imagine that if an all white jury had returned this verdict, that info would appear in all the headlines…

    My comments were meant to point out how emotion on this topic is clouding the commentary. I think that is seen here on this thread. For example, I characterized the officers firing as accidental. I don’t know that.

    As said earlier, maybe we just need to be more responsible with our words…

  5. “By expressions on many faces it was clear this was an accidental discharge.”

    Ummmm ok. I’d like to see a lawyer try to enter that as evidence at the trial.

  6. @ Spiffy D – um, video tape evidence is used all the time.

    @ McMullet – Regarding your inclusion of vandalism with protest as a legitimate way to express one’s emotion. On this, I would argue with you. It is not. I am not arguing that there was anything wrong with the protest itself (although, was it legal, with a permit?). The vandalism was inappropriate, and illegal. To try to give it legitimacy by referring to the vandalism as a legitimate protest is in my view a foolish, and distructive thing.

    This is a heated topic. I have had my say. I will not dispute any other posts.

  7. “um, video tape evidence is used all the time.”

    Your interpretation of a person’s facial expression is not video evidence, it’s an opinion. Good luck using that in a legal proceeding.

  8. …on the case itself. i think that’s pretty clear.

    but watching 25 kids walking down the street saying “fuck the pigs” reminded me of WTO. message gets lost amongst the towering idiots.

  9. And to think that cop only got 2yrs! That is insanity! Its wrong! Its not right! It makes me very angry!So-called trained police officer reaching for his taser(so he claims) but had his gun and murderd an unarmed person! what ever happend to an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth?