OPD to Address Claims of Brutality After Mehserle Riot
Oakland police leaders plan to hold a press conference Thursday to discuss their investigation into the civil unrest that took place after the Johannes Mehserle verdict. The briefing comes a day after several protestors came forward to say they were mistreated by law enforcement officers last Thursday night in the hours after the verdict was announced.
One Oakland attorney who is a member of the National Lawyers Guild claims he was arrested by a C.H.P. officer while he was merely observing the crowd while walking to his Broadway law office; the same street where some were looting a Footlocker store.
Another says she was demonstrating peacefully that night, and was arrested by an Oakland Police officer who struck her on the head with a baton.
Some of the protestors think police wanted to provoke violence and are considering filing a lawsuit.
Oakland Police say officers tried to let the protest happen peacefully, but that police had to move in and order people to disperse after the protest became violent.
