Chaos erupted Tuesday night in Oakland’s Fruitvale District when a Shiekh clothing store was looted by a large group of people. The incident occurred shortly after a peaceful anti-ICE protest concluded in the area.
The store, located at 3422 International Boulevard, was stormed by a mob that used a sledgehammer to break in. Video footage captured dozens of people rushing into the store, grabbing clothing from racks, and shouting for others to “hurry up.” Many looters wore hooded sweatshirts and masks to conceal their identities, although some faces were visible on camera.
Not far from the scene, a vehicle was set on fire near 35th Avenue and International Boulevard. According to Norma Orozco, an organizer of the earlier protest with the Ella Baker Center, the demonstration ended peacefully around 8 p.m. She said that after a car crash, a group of individuals later returned to the area and set one of the abandoned vehicles on fire.
“I saw at least three Oakland police drive by and do absolutely nothing,” Orozco said, noting that the fire department eventually arrived to extinguish the blaze.
Authorities have not confirmed whether the looting was connected to any individuals who participated in the earlier protest. As of now, no injuries have been reported, and it remains unclear how many suspects have been identified or if any arrests have been made.
The Oakland Police Department has not released a formal statement regarding the incidents.
