About 200 Occupy Oakland activists held a march which turned into a roving vandalism spree through downtown. Billed as a protest against the war in Afghanistan, protesters smashed the windows of banks, businesses and BMW’s along their route. Marchers also smashed glass doors at City Hall.
The march began around 7pm at Frank Ogawa Plaza and was over by 8:30pm. In the interim, marchers moved down Franklin Street and broke windows at a Chase Bank and a California Bank. The Oakland Tribune’s offices were also vandalized and marchers broke the windows of two BMW’s along the route.
At City Hall, protesters smashed glass doors. This is at least the third time Occupy members have vandalized City Hall. In a previous incident in February, Occupiers entered the premises and vandalized the interior including smashing the architect’s model of the building. More than 400 people were arrested on that occasion.
There have been frequent Occupy marches since February which have gotten out of hand. In April marchers went on another vandalism spree, tagging and breaking windows at businesses in Oakland City Center. In July taggers painted anti-police slogans on a number of buildings including the message “Kill Cops” at police headquarters. And in August marchers vandalized an Obama campaign office.
No one was arrested in tonight’s vandalism spree. Police told KGO they did not have enough officers on hand to confront the crowd.
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