San Francisco

Dozens of Cars Towed, Arrests Made at Oakland Sideshows: Police

'Rocks and bottles are being thrown at officers, and numerous gunshots are being fired by sideshow crowd members,' police tweeted

Oakland police arrested at least two people and towed at least 85 cars while working at the scene of illegal sideshows at various locations across the East Bay city early Sunday, the department announced.

Two officers were also injured as a result of the sideshow activity, which didn't come to a close until about 5 a.m. Sunday, police reported. The extent of the officers' injuries were not immediately disclosed.

Police took to Twitter at 1:39 a.m. Sunday to report that they were in the midst of dealing with multiple sideshows across East Oakland.

"Rocks and bottles are being thrown at officers, and numerous gunshots are being fired by sideshow crowd members," the department tweeted.

Police stated that the number of cars towed as a result of the sideshows could increase to about 100. 

One man whose vehicle was towed said he was not involved in the sideshow and merely found himself boxed in, with the sideshow on one side and the police on the other.

"I just got stuck there, had nowhere to go," Oakland resident Angel Diaz said, adding that he was on his way home at the time. "Police started throwing tear gas and taking people out of their cars. One of the officers hit me and slammed me in the Escalade."

Diaz said police wrongfully accused him of taking part in the sideshow, saying he was doing burnouts and exhibition of speed. But Diaz said his car was parked. Now he has to come up with $3,000 and wait 30 days to get his vehicle back from the impound lot.

"I need that car to go to work to San Francisco," he said. "I gotta be there at 2 in the morning."

In a statement, a police spokesperson said: "The Oakland Police Department makes every effort to ensure vehicles not associated with sideshow are not towed. There is a Tow Hearing process available for anyone who wishes to contest the tow." 

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