Last night, in the fourth such Oakland rally in two weeks, protesters once again called for police accountability in the deaths of black Americans.
The demonstrations were spurred by a grand jury decision not to indict an NYPD officer in the choke-hold, videotaped death of Eric Garner, a black man stopped for selling untaxed cigarettes on Staten Island this past summer. The Oakland rally of hundreds echoed frustrations from Ferguson in another grand jury decision not to indict a white officer in the death of black 18-year-old Michael Brown.
Protesters also gathered in San Francisco and Palo Alto, where they blocked Market Street and 101, respectively.
The public outcry took the form of signs and shouts of "I can't breathe," words heard from Garner in the video of his death. In a smaller protest than those previous, hundreds gathered at 14th Street and Broadway in Oakland, marching beneath on-and-off downpours. The rally proceeded up Broadway but was blocked by a line of officers near Napa Street in the Rockridge area at about 7:30 p.m, according to the Chronicle. Speeches occurred at Oakland City Hall before the crowd dispersed at around 9:45 p.m.
Hands up, fists up in Oakland during moment of silence for #EricGarner #Ferguson, others killed by police pic.twitter.com/cR9pbjoaIt
— Vivian Ho (@VivianHo) December 4, 2014
A more modest group of protesters convened around 6 p.m. at Powell and Market Streets in San Francisco, staging a lie-down protest known as a “die-in” by the cable car turnaround.
Die-in for #EricGarner now in the middle of Market Street in SF. Street has been shut down for 1 hour. pic.twitter.com/qbluV7hyBy
— Kate Conger (@kateconger) December 4, 2014
According to reports from the scene, protesters repeatedly chanted "Black lives matter" and "I can't breathe." With the crowd on Market growing, a line of protesters blocked traffic on the thoroughfare. Muni buses, cars and bicyclists, unable to pass, piled up in both directions shortly before 7 p.m. Police dispersed the crowd, in part by putting on riot gear.
#SFPD is suiting up in riot helmets for #EricGarner protest on Market St. in #SF. pic.twitter.com/EZOd1Dyp81
— Kate Conger (@kateconger) December 4, 2014
Meanwhile in Palo Alto, about 150 people, many students at Stanford, briefly blocked 101.
Palo Alto, 101 @ University at a standstill with protestors chanting "please let go." pic.twitter.com/honlJmFVGD
— John Lilly (@johnolilly) December 4, 2014
Hwy 101 in Palo Alto reopened after Garner protest http://t.co/IcrcrMxjnD #sanfrancisco pic.twitter.com/RNKs4kZayb
— San Francisco News (@SFnewsnow) December 4, 2014
More protests could occur this weekend, with calls for a demonstration from Occupy Oakland at Friday's popular Art Murmur event.