By Doug Oakley
Here are some photos I shot in July of people protesting and misbehaving following the verdict of former BART cop Johannes Mehserle who shot and killed Oscar Grant.
It seemed like there were almost as many media members like myself as there were protesters. Nothing happened until it got dark. Then kids started breaking windows of storefronts and starting fires in trash cans.
There was a herd mentality. A commotion would happen over there and people would rush over there to see what was happening. The fever of violence fed on itself.
Then the cops moved in. They just started arresting everyone who was not a cop, including photographers and reporters and the thugs breaking windows and stealing sneakers.
People started throwing beer bottles and all kinds of stuff. Another photographer I know was hit in the head.
Then a couple of cops broke from their pack and started chasing me, billy clubs raised over their heads. I started running away, snapping pictures behind me as I ran. They gave up, and were admonished by one of their commanders and led back to the fray.
That's when I bailed and decided to go get some bbq chicken.
Photo by Doug Oakley
Photo by Doug Oakley
Photo by Doug Oakley
Photo by Doug Oakley
Photo by Doug Oakley
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