Organizers of last month’s destructive Oakland sideshow arrested: PD

(KRON) — Two people suspected of organizing and promoting last month’s destructive sideshow, which ended with the burning of a luxury sedan in the middle of an Oakland intersection, have been arrested, the Oakland Police Department announced Friday.

Roughly 300 people and 100 cars took part in the illegal car rally, which spanned several neighborhoods on Aug. 24, the Oakland Police Department said. The sideshow event blocked multiple public intersections, including 47th and Adeline streets, 41st and Howe streets, 98th Avenue and International Boulevard, and 42nd Avenue and International Boulevard.

The sideshow endangered the public “through reckless and criminal behavior, including setting off illegal fireworks, negligent discharge of firearms, and setting a vehicle on fire,” OPD said.

On Friday, OPD officers, with help from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office and the California Highway Patrol, served search warrants at homes in Oakland and Santa Rosa. The suspected organizers were arrested on felony warrants for the alleged promotion and facilitation of the “large and highly disruptive sideshow,” OPD said.

“Sideshows of this nature have become a persistent public safety challenge across the state,” OPD said. “They have a significant impact on the community and cause hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to city infrastructure.”

OPD is increasing staffing and working with other local law enforcement agencies to address any future sideshows.

“OPD will continue to take decisive action to disrupt sideshows and hold accountable those who put the community at risk by organizing and participating in such activities,” OPD said. “When appropriate, this includes seeking felony criminal charges against those who elect to organize and/or facilitate these disruptive and destructive events.”

OPD has also seized six cars and one gun in connection to the Aug. 24 sideshow.