Security is a bit more tight around downtown Oakland these days. There aren't usually 4 police cars parked in a row across from my building, let alone 4 Department of Homeland Security cars parked in a row here.
The reason why there's heightened security this week is because of the pending verdict on the trial of BART police officer Johannes Mehserle. If you're not from the Bay Area, you probably don't know the background of the story. So, long story short, on New Year's Eve/New Year's day 2009, a BART police officer detained Oscar Grant, who had apparently been causing disturbance on the train. Mehserle had Grant detained, handcuffed, and face down on the ground where he claims to reached for his taser. He had in fact took out his gun and shot and killed Grant in the back.
The incident caused an unrest of Rodney King proportions. Rioters took the streets in downtown Oakland where the shooting had occurred, claimed that this was a race-fueled murder and demanded that Mehserle be brought to trial.
Fast forward to today, the trial has finished and the verdict is in the hands of the jury. Hoping to avoid destruction and unrest that would rival the LA riots of 1992, businesses, residents, and now the police are taking all precautions in the event that the resulting verdict would unleash this ever growing public fury.
And my office is in the heart of where these riots are supposed to take place. So, uh...let's hope I'm safe in the building when all the collective shit possibly hits the fan.
I'll keep you updated!
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