Even though it happened back in May of this year, video of a man getting brutally attacked at an Oakland street takeover is making the rounds on X (formerly Twitter). Users on the social media platform are shocked to see the guy get beat unconscious as the takeover kids continue beating him. Sadly, we’re not surprised at all but then again we’ve been warning people about how downright dangerous street takeovers or “sideshows” are for some time.
These videos show why street takeovers are dumb and dangerous.
Hopefully this video circulating helps drive home the message that street takeovers aren’t just kids cutting loose and blowing off a little bit of steam. Get in the way and these kids will seriously maim or even kill you. Allowing your own child to attend these is gambling with their life.
Back when this beating happened, local news station KTVU interviewed a member of the Oakland City Council. We’ve included the video report for you to watch for yourself, but something this guy said sums up why cities like Oakland have pervasive problems with street takeovers and other criminal behavior.
The councilman starts off with some fairly innocuous counsel about citizens letting police clear up these takeovers instead of trying to do it themselves. But KTVU notes that unless officers show up in force, they’re often overwhelmed by the adult babies who attend these illegal events.
But here’s the real kicker: even though this guy has unsuccessfully proposed “going after” participants and has since pushed for targeting participants and organizers of takeovers, he clarified that “we’re not trying to criminalize, we’re trying to protect the residents of Oakland.”
What does that even mean, well he goes on to explain that he’s not only concerned about the community’s safety but also making it “safe for the individuals that are involved in the sideshow.” So protecting people who are putting others at risk while engaging in criminal activities is of equal concern as the protection of the community.
This kind of confusion about how to enforce laws in different cities has created opportunities for criminals to break the law with impunity. Since treating street takeovers with kid gloves has just made them more common and participants more brazen, leaders in these cities want to treat them even more gently. Great plan, we’re sure it will make Oakland and other municipalities even more lawless.
By the way, KTVU also showed how at the same takeover an SN95 Mustang sheared off a fire hydrant and hit some pedestrians. We wouldn’t want to criminalize destruction of city property or literally endangering the lives of pedestrians, now would we?
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Man throws a bucket at a car trying to stop a street takeover and gets Savagely Beaten into a Coma in Oakland, California… pic.twitter.com/A7gDYTFSeO
— Fight Haven (@FightHaven) November 14, 2023
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