Oakland protest takes down I-880 in solidarity for George Floyd

A protest in Oakland broke out late Friday afternoon in solidarity and demand for justice in the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis Monday. Most recent protest scenes show officers firing flash bangs at demonstrators in the street.

Starting at Oscar Grant Plaza, or Frank Ogawa Plaza, the group eventually made its way to Interstate 880 and have blocked traffic in both directions as of 9 p.m. BART trains have reportedly stopped running the 12th Street station due to protest activity.

The Oakland action comes hours after a similar protest in San Jose shut down both lanes of traffic on Highway 101.

Protests across the nation have erupted in anger since cellphone video emerged Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling with his knee on Floyd’s neck until he was unresponsive and ultimately died.

Peaceful protests in Minneapolis in days since Floyd’s murder have been spiked with fringe anger that turned to looting and arson in several instances and one man was killed in the chaos.

Floyd was arrested while buying food at a grocery story on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill. At least three officers have been recorded kneeling on Floyd, handcuffed and facedown, at one time as he can be repeatedly heard saying that he can’t breathe.

Floyd was loaded into an ambulance and pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after.

Chauvin was arrested Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Updates:

9:49 p.m.: Police fired tear gas into the protest crowd.

10:29 p.m.: Several buildings have been damaged and some set on fire, including a Chase Bank and Starbucks. A Walgreens was also smashed and looted. Trash cans are lit up in the streets. Damage appeared to escalate after police shot tear gas at protesters.

Protesters have set up plywood and trash cans as barricades in the street near City Hall.