Tensions rise but mostly peace reigns at demonstration in Oakdale
A demonstration in downtown Oakdale Wednesday drew several hundred people and sparked some tension between competing groups.
People gathered in downtown Oakdale for a scheduled demonstration in response to the death of a black man in police custody in Minnesota last week.
Many attendees held signs, most of them with messages such as “Black Lives Matter”, “Silence is Violence” and “If you’re tired of hearing about racism imagine how tired people are experiencing it”, but some signs had more aggressive anti-police messages.
Several local businesses, along with City Hall and the police department, were boarded up in advance of the protest.
Protests across the country were sparked by the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a police officer kneeled on his neck in Minneapolis last week. The officer, Derek Chauvin, was arrested and charged in the incident, and the department faces civil rights violation charges.
Several people spoke at a microphone set up for the event before a march began down Yosemite Avenue.
“Don’t let violence happen and let’s control what we can control and focus on our purpose,” one young woman said. “This is for George Floyd and every single person of color affected by police brutality.”
A black man who goes by the name of Tank took the microphone from organizers and said that lives matter, period.
He asked where all the people were when there’s violence among black people. Tank said he lives in Oakdale and is happy here, and he asked rhetorically “How often do you see Oakdale on the news for violence against blacks?”
DeWayne Finney, 24, said he also has had a good life in Oakdale and he was disappointed that within 10 minutes of being at the demonstration, he encountered some antagonism.
“Race should not matter, political affiliation should not matter, all that should matter is whether you’re a good person,” Finney said.
He brought about a light moment, adding that he came out in ripped jeans and Yeezy’s (a kind of sneaker), and he saw “a lot of flannel I’d like to rock and even some people who I wouldn’t dress like, but I’m not gonna judge you on it.”
Marchers later took off down the street. There was some increased tension when a man wearing a ball cap briefly blocked their path, saying “All lives matter.”
A few people briefly stopped to engage the man, but organizers spurred them to continue walking, and started a chant of “Keep the peace.”
Modesto police, who along with Stanislaus County Sheriff’s deputies were assisting Oakdale police stopped and talked to the man in the camouflage cap.
Demonstrators lined Yosemite Avenue as organizers shouted at them to make sure they stayed out of the street and drivers going by honked their horns.
Several people wearing “Trump 2020” hats placed themselves in front of the demonstrators. One man said he was standing there when the protest approached him. He was not; he was at the march when it began. A woman with him wore a t-shirt that says “Be kind”.
Modesto police bicycle officers stood close by and blocked both groups from traffic.
Marchers then turned to return to their starting point.
Shortly after noon, tensions grew as demonstrators and counter-demonstrators began yelling at each other. Deputies in tactical gear entered the crowd, keeping the two factions apart.
Sheriff Jeff Dirkse said it was simply a matter of needing more officers because tensions seemed to be escalating. One young woman with the march thanked police for being there, saying they don’t get the respect they deserve and “that sucks”. Others started chanting, “Why are you in riot gear? I don’t see no riot here.”
By 1 p.m., most of the crowd had dispersed before a fight broke out, leading to three arrests.
This story was originally published June 3, 2020 at 10:26 AM.
