Oakland Police Arrest Two Organizers, Seize Six Vehicles in Large-Scale Sideshow

The Oakland Police Department, in collaboration with the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office and California Highway Patrol, arrested two individuals suspected of organizing a large, disruptive sideshow event on August 24 that involved about 100 vehicles and 300 spectators. The event featured reckless activities such as illegal fireworks, negligent discharge of firearms, and setting a vehicle on fire, and spanned multiple Oakland neighborhoods, causing significant public safety concerns and hundreds of thousands of dollars in infrastructure damage. Police executed search warrants in Oakland and Santa Rosa, seizing six vehicles and a firearm related to the event. Community members have expressed frustration over the police response to such sideshows, highlighting the ongoing challenges these gatherings pose to public safety and neighborhood quality of life. In response, the OPD plans to increase staffing and coordinate with regional partners to prevent future sideshows while pursuing felony charges against organizers when appropriate. The department emphasized its commitment to disrupting these dangerous events and holding those responsible accountable.