A growing crowd of protesters and federal law enforcement confronted each other Thursday morning at the single road from Oakland leading to the Coast Guard base, which will be used as a staging ground for President Trump’s long-threatened crackdown in the Bay Area.
The demonstration briefly turned into a clash as federal agents used what protesters said were explosives and projectiles to clear people from the causeway connecting to Coast Guard Island in the estuary.
“A CBP guy opened his trunk, and he got out with this, like, gun thing,” said Bob Sanders, 50, of Oakland. “And they did the flash-bang. Then they launched a pepper ball right at the guy’s face, like literally feet away, and just hit him right in the face, and then did another flash-bang.”
Other witnesses said another man’s foot was run over by a vehicle.
The Standard’s reporter heard explosions and saw a man’s face covered with powder. A photographer for The Standard also witnessed several explosions.
By 8:30 a.m., there were several hundred people protesting what they expected to be a mission targeting immigrants by federal law enforcement. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection officers were positioned near the crowd.
On Wednesday, the Coast Guard confirmed to The Standard that an unknown number of Customs and Border Protection agents would soon arrive and use the island as a “place of operations.”
President Donald Trump has frequently complained about crime in San Francisco and said his administration would send forces to clean up the city. Similar operations have been ordered in other cities, such as Los Angeles and Chicago.
But on Thursday morning, Mayor Daniel Lurie said that Trump told him in a late-night phone call that he’d called off the surge in San Francisco.
In the gathering, a cheer erupted when a demonstrator speaking into a bullhorn relayed what Lurie had announced.
“We want to continue to be out here because we don’t know what this means for Alameda County,” said protester Rev. Deborah Lee after hearing about Trump’s alleged change of plans. “We also know that everyday ICE is arresting people, detaining people in their homes and at the courts. So, we know that ICE has not gone away, but we hope that the federal invasion’s going away.”
Traffic was still reaching the island as several U.S. Coast Guard security officers in navy blue uniforms directed drivers. But cars and trucks were backing up along the nearby Embarcadero East and Denison Street.
Vehicles from the Oakland fire department arrived around 9:45 a.m. Protesters continued circling the intersection, impeding the emergency personnel from moving through the crowd.
The Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not immediately respond to The Standard’s inquiries.
Earlier, in the darkness shortly before 6 a.m. on Thursday, a determined, lone protester stood watch for signs of the federal surge.
The protester stood in the crosswalk in dark clothing, knit cap, and sneakers and held up a sign that read “ICE out now” on one side and “Shame on you”on the other side. Nearby was the bridge connecting to Coast Guard Island in the estuary.
“Are you going to collaborate? Are you part of the invasion of the East Bay? Do you support ICE? Are you part of this? Are you collaborating with ICE?” the man, who declined to identify himself, said to passing vehicles. “Do you believe in terrorizing our community? Say ‘no’ to ICE in your workplace. Say ‘no’ to fascism!”
Sanders, the man who described seeing federal officers use the explosive devices, said he showed up to oppose what he fears will be a crackdown on immigrants in the Bay Area.
“My goal is just to be here with the other protesters to add a body to the movement,” said Sanders. “What organizations like ICE are doing is — a lot of it is illegal, and it’s immoral, and so we as citizens, taxpayers, have to take a stand and try to change that so we can make things right.”