A massive sideshow event that moved through North Oakland in the middle of the night last Sunday, disturbing sleep and a sense of safety for many, is prompting residents to wonder again what can be done to stop them.
According to the Oakland Police, more than 500 people participated in a series of sideshows on August 24 that involved a total of approximately 200 cars. The sideshow began at 45th Street and Market Street, in the Longfellow neighborhood, and moved to 41st Street and Howe Street, in the Piedmont Avenue neighborhood, extending from around 2 a.m. until dawn.
Eyewitness video, personal accounts on social media, and interviews with The Oaklandside in the days that followed indicate that the sideshows triggered widespread disruption and involved dangerous behavior, including people walking near spinning cars, setting off fireworks, and parking illegally in driveways and on sidewalks. At the end of the night, on Howe Street, a vehicle was set on fire, as seen in multiple videos and confirmed by the OPD…