Stanislaus County Declares State Of Emergency; Oakdale Protests Turn Violent
OAKDALE (CBS13) — In response to protests throughout the area, Stanislaus County declared a State of Emergency on Wednesday.
The move allows the county to apply for state and federal funding for law enforcement efforts.
A large but mostly peaceful protest over the death of Minnesota man George Floyd attracted hundreds of people to Oakdale on Wednesday in front of the Gene Bianchi Community Center.
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Two groups of protesters took to different sides of the street in Oakdale. On one side they chanted "Trump 2020" and "All Lives Matter" while on the other side protesters yelled George Floyd's name and "Black Lives Matter." The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office and police officers stood guard in between the opposing sides.
Just after 2:30 p.m., after about an hour or so of yelling the protestors collided and we saw someone jump into the car of another protestor and a fight broke out.
According to police, a convertible drove by and a person threw an object at protesters. A protester then punched a passenger in the vehicle, police said, and a fight broke out as officers got involved.
Law enforcement then fired flash bangs and rubber bullets. Protesters were seen running from the area.
A young girl was hit with something and seen on the ground bleeding on the street. She is expected to be okay, but it's still not clear how exactly she got hurt.
Around 3 p.m., the police department posted on their Facebook page the protest had been declared an unlawful assembly, and the crowd was dispersed.
The protesters have since cleared out and some told CBS13 they were heading to Modesto to bring their protest there.
Police said three people were arrested, including the man who punched the passenger. Two officers suffered minor injuries.
On Thursday, Oakdale police issued a follow-up statement and said one person, Brandon Gray, was released after officers learned he was not an instigator in the fight.
Police said 33-year-old Nicholas Gonzales and 20-year-old Joseph Lutz were both charged in connection to the "violent outburst." According to police, Gonzales punched the passenger and Lutz assaulted of officers.
"While we expect to see additional peaceful demonstrations as we have seen throughout this week, we do not expect demonstration to turn to violence unless instigated by outside influencers," said Sheriff Jeff Dirkse in a statement about the declaration.
Law enforcement officials have stressed they support peaceful protests, but will be ready to act if any problems arise.
"We support the right to free speech and will provide a safe environment for everyone's voices to be heard. I also want to assure our community that we are ready and prepared for any unforeseen circumstances or any last-minute changes," said Oakdale Police Chief Scott Heller in a statement on Tuesday ahead of the protest.
Nearby Sacramento County proclaimed a local State of Emergency on Tuesday in the wake of civil unrest.
