Oakland's long-running battle against sideshows has not curtailed the practice, and the latest loss came during the weekend. Some 500 people and 200 cars descended on the intersection of 41st and Howe streets. According to local authorities, the takeover lasted over three hours and escalated into chaos with fireworks, donuts, and one burned-out car.
Police say that only 16 units were available to respond. "This morning, 500 sideshow participants invaded, and we only had 16 police vehicles available to address the chaos,” Oakland Police Officers Association (OPOA) President Huy Nguyen said in a statement. “We share the neighbors’ frustrations and anger.”
Video from the event shows a scene more like a street festival gone rogue, with tires smoking, fireworks lighting up the night, crowds surging into the intersection, and more. Escalation came when an Infiniti sedan left at the scene was seemingly destroyed by spectators. That destruction included setting a fire, breaking the windows, and even bending the door frames backward.
KRON4 reported that the Oakland Fire Department did not respond to inquiries on Sunday, though Oakland PD later announced plans to beef up staffing and coordinate with other agencies to crack down on future takeovers. “These events are dangerous and illegal,” the department wrote on social media. “If you participate in illegal sideshows in Oakland, your vehicle could be towed and seized with a 30-day hold.”
That threat seems to be falling on deaf ears. This issue is one Oakland has dealt with for years. Since 2021, it's tried several measures, including adding concrete islands, hardened centerlines, and, more recently, steel plates embedded in the road at dozens of sideshow hotspots. The issue continues. For now, Oakland residents are left with burned rubber, scorched asphalt, and the uneasy sense that the next takeover is only a weekend away.
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