A beating took place this past weekend in Oakland, California, during an illegal sideshow. A man was brutally beaten by several individuals after reprimanding them for their attitude. It happened at the intersection of 34th and Adeline streets in the Californian city.
In videos circulating on social media, two vehicles can be seen spinning at the intersection of the Oakland streets. A large group of people are watching them in a circle. The carts almost brushed the attendants as they spun around, burning the tires. A man can then be seen advancing with a red bucket in his hand. When he reaches one of the spinning cars, he throws the bucket against one of the front windows.
Man throws a bucket at a car trying to stop a street takeover and gets Savagely Beaten into a Coma in Oakland, California... pic.twitter.com/Oj8IvUGT4x
— Fight Haven (@FightHaven) May 2, 2023
Almost immediatly, chaos ensues. The car suddenly brakes and its occupants, four hooded men, get out of the car. They then chase the neighbor who threw the bucket, corner him on the sidewalk and begin to beat him severely. The occupants of the vehicle continue even when the man falls to the ground. Some attendees of the illegal show join in the lynching. The victim is left inert on the ground, with his head placed inside the same bucket he threw earlier.
The shocking images stirred up the local Oakland press, which asked the Oakland Police Department about the event. Police are aware of the incident and assured the San Francisco Chronicle that an investigation is underway, although they did not provide any further details. There was no further information about the identity of the assaulted man, nor about his state of health after the beating. According to the local Fox channel, there were more illegal sideshows in Oakland this weekend. An arrest was made and two vehicles and a weapon were confiscated, however, it is not known if they were directly related to the events in this video.
An @oaklandpoliceca officer drives slowly through bike & ATV sideshow at 42nd & International - and leaves while being taunted. (Generally speaking, officers are outnumbered by participants and dept musters up many more officers during sideshow details). 📹: @ForNenna pic.twitter.com/m74RjqsSMy
— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) May 1, 2023
Oakland, spinning top capital
Illegal vehicle street takeover and the large mobs of young people who gather to watch them are a recurring problem every weekend in California. In Compton, where attendees at an illegal race held up a gas station a few weeks ago, local residents say it is a situation that happens about twice a week. In San Francisco, Oakland has gained a reputation as being the epicenter of these competitions, which have become part of the local street identity. Some sources such as the Berkley Daily Planet claim that this San Francisco Bay Area city is actually the birthplace of sideshows since back in the 1990s.
Man catches on fire during street takeover. Welcome to #HELL(A) pic.twitter.com/Q1nVgNNJ2m
— 2UrbanGirls (@2UrbanGirls) May 1, 2023
Lack of police personnel is often the justification invoked by the authorities when street competitions get out of control. The city of San Francisco announced in late April that it intends to implement the use of drones to monitor sensitive streets and combat illegal competitions. According to members of the district boards affected by illegal racing, the use of drones would allow the identification of the vehicles involved from a safe distance, in addition to be able to monitor a greater number of streets at a time.
