As the protesters and police prepare to assemble and disperse assemblies in the wake of the ruling in the Johannes Mehserle trial, respectively, you can get updates from the City of Oakland via email or text message.
Oakland Local has a handy guide on how to get messages directly from the city's Office of Emergency Services to your phone. You can also get updates from the Oakland Police Department via Twitter.
The Coalition for Justice for Oscar Grant is asking supporters to gather at 14th and Broadway at 6pm on the day of the verdict for a peaceful demonstration -- Onefam's Tony Coleman told Grant family supporters not to believe the hype about potential violence.
KPIX has also confirmed that there is an LRAD, or Long Range Acoustic Device, available to the Oakland Police Department for crowd control. The devices emit a sonic wave that's apparently quite painful, could lead to permanent hearing damage and have been used in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Hence, in Oakland Local's guide to what to wear in case that peaceful protest gets unruly, earplugs are listed, as well as how to protect oneself from tear gas and what to do in case you get thrown in the slammer.
Jackson West is hoping for a celebration rather than a protest.
