Timing Of Protest Is Suspect / Mumia supporters disrupt youth event

A supporter of a Pennsylvania death row inmate denied that demonstrators were trying to upstage a long-planned dialogue between Oakland police and local youth Thursday night.

If you believe that, perhaps I could interest you in purchasing a bridge located on the edge of West Oakland.

More than 150 demonstrators marched from 14th Street and Broadway to the Oakland Federal Building to demand that the Justice Department re-open its corruption investigation of the Philadelphia Police Department.

Supporters of Mumia Abu-Jamal, a death row inmate convicted for the 1981 shooting death of a Philadelphia police officer, said the protest was called after the Supreme Court on Monday rejected claims that Abu-Jamal, a former radio journalist and Black Panther, did not receive a fair trial.

"We knew there was another event going on, but the timing of the court decision is what dictated when the protest was held," said Van Jones, a San Francisco civil rights lawyer who helped coordinate the protest march.

Jones said about 15 protesters occupied the rotunda at the Federal Building on Clay Street in an act of civil disobedience with the hope they would be arrested.

About a half-dozen or so determined protesters, disappointed with the refusal of police to arrest them, then left the building to stand on Jefferson Street in front of the City Center West Garage, he said.

That location just also happened to be where police and youth participants gathered to hold "Code 33," a dialogue between about 100 police officers and local youth.

Code 33 is copspeak for clearing radio transmissions, or in other words, listening closely.

Four people were arrested, cited and released at the scene, police said.

The demonstration forced cancellation of a police and low-rider procession, prompted authorities to close the parking garage to people who planned to attend the event and briefly trapped some commuters in the garage.

Police Chief Richard Word also believes the demonstrators' intention was to steal the thunder from what was supposed to be a positive community event.

"They chose the timing and location because the media was there for Code 33," said Sgt. Dave Walsh, Word's chief of staff.

"It was unfair to the kids who worked so hard on this event," he added.

Nonetheless, Word has high hopes that some or all of the 100 or so police officers who participated in the event will become youth mentors as a result of the exchange. ETOUFEE CHOW MEIN?:As part of its cultural fusion series, the Oakland Museum of California held an event last night that combined the culinary tastes of Asian and Cajun foods.

The event challenged students at the California Culinary Academy to concoct dishes from the ingredients of both cultures.

"We want to explore cross-cultural hybrids, to explore the differences as well as the commonalities," said Ming-Yeung Lu, the museum's cultural programs coordinator.

Cajun food was chosen because it co-mingles French, Spanish and African foods.

Chefs-in-training were given "mystery baskets" filled with spicy flavorings and one hour to invent a dish. Participants were also expected to use the cooking techniques of both cultures.

Rhoda Yee, the cooking school's Asian cuisine chef instructor and Michael Skibitcky, the academy's executive director, provided an exhibition of what could be done.

Yee prepared a dish called Cajun Popiah, a cold spring roll made with andouille sausage, Tabasco sauce, chili and a peanut hoisin dipping sauce.

Skibitcky, a former United Nations chef, was right at home.

He created a butterfly dumpling and a coconut veloute, described by Lu as a French and Cajun cream sauce.

This is the second year of the fusion series, which has featured "fusion fashion" shows and other cross- cultural events.

OEA RESPONSE:The Oakland Education Association has come out against any city government plan to grab the reins of the troubled school district.

A report released by a blue ribbon education commission formed by Mayor Jerry Brown recommended a charter amendment that would give the mayor the power to appoint the seven-member school board.

But the Representative Council of the Oakland teachers union adopted a resolution Monday in keeping with the National Education Association.

"The mayor's takeover would lead to even more charter schools and other measures that would fundamentally degrade the quality of education," said Sheila Quintana, president of the 3,500-member union.

Quintana is right about the creation of more charter schools, a Brown pet project, but it's hard to imagine district math and reading scores dropping further. Elementary math and reading scores, for instance, are 22 points below the statewide average.