On Juneteenth last year at Oakland’s Lake Merritt, celebrations gave way to a raucous sideshow which then gave way to a brawl and a mass shooting that left 14 people wounded. Oakland city leaders are promising a safer situation this year.
An unofficial Juneteenth gathering is expected to happen again by Lake Merritt today, and Oakland police say they are prepared to handle a large crowd and hopefully quell any chaos.
“In preparation for that this year, we have a large number of officers that will be out to facilitate peace and make sure that Juneteenth at the lake stays family-friendly,” says Oakland police Captain Gordon Dorham, speaking to KTVU…