Oakland City Council Votes To Keep Controversial Gang Injunctions
OAKLAND (CBS/AP) – Oakland officials have agreed to continue supporting the city's gang injunctions.
In a 4-3 vote on Tuesday, the City Council decided not to end funding for a gang injunction that targets 15 suspected gang members that is currently in place in North Oakland.
The council also agreed to continue funding the pursuit of another gang injunction in the city's Fruitvale district, which names 40 suspected gang members.
KCBS' Chris Filippi Reports:
An Alameda County judge has yet to decide on that injunction.
The injunctions restrict the movement of alleged gang members. Supporters say they are another tool to keep neighborhoods safe, but critics say they are a form of racial profiling.
They are designed to keep identified gang members from associating with each other, wearing known gang colors and being outside during overnight hours in so-called 'safety zones.'
Councilmembers demanded that any new injunctions come before them for approval before they are filed, because they would like to watch how these work before approving any new ones.
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