Hundreds march through streets of Oakland calling for justice after recent police killings
OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Oakland calling for justice after a Minnesota officer shot and killed 20-year-old Daunte Wright during a traffic stop earlier this week.
The protest started at Oscar Grant Plaza Friday night where several demonstrators spoke before marching down 14th Street.
RELATED: Daunte Wright's parents 'can't accept' traffic stop shooting that killed son was a mistake
The majority of the protesters were peaceful, however, some did smash the windows of several businesses including Target and Oaklandish. Another group set a car on fire at the Honda dealership as well as small fires outside multiple buildings.
VIDEO: Protesters use rocks to smash windows at Oakland Target
A flyer has been circulating on social media for the past few days that says "abolish the police" and asks for justice for Daunte Wright, Donovan Lynch, who was shot and killed in Virginia last month, and Tyrell Wilson, a Danville man who was also shot and killed by police last month.
Civil rights attorney, John Burris, who is representing Tyrell Wilson's family. I spoke to him about the idea of "abolishing police."
"To me that's what abolishment means, abolishing certain types of policing activities and put in its place more humane policing that helps preserve the community as opposed to tearing it down and or killing people, when you should, in fact, be protecting them," said Burris.
RELATED: How does an officer use a gun instead of a Taser?
ABC7 News also spoke to Oakland Council member, Noel Gallo, about how Oakland stores boarded up windows ahead of the demonstration.
"I understand the people's frustrations...the only thing that I would ask is to respect the properties," said Gallo.
"It's not just the shootings that take place, those we all know. It's the day and day out policing where people are subject to racial profiling where police officers are stopping them, looking at them. I represent hundreds of people along those lines and yeah they're angry, and they should be," said Burris.
