85 cars towed, 2 arrests in East Oakland sideshows

Oakland Police Department towed 85 cars, made two arrests, and had two officers injured due to sideshow activity on Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018. Oakland Police Department towed 85 cars, made two arrests, and had two officers injured due to sideshow activity on Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018. Photo: Oakland Police Department Photo: Oakland Police Department Image 1 of / 34 Caption Close 85 cars towed, 2 arrests in East Oakland sideshows 1 / 34 Back to Gallery

Oakland police towed at least 85 cars and made two arrests during a series of chaotic, late-night sideshows that shut down multiple roadways across East Oakland early Sunday.

Two Oakland police officers were injured in the incidents, police said. One officer was hit by a rock, and another suffered injuries when a sideshow participant rammed into his cruiser.

Police expected the total number of cars towed to rise to close to 100.

Police initially tweeted about the sideshow activity at 1:40 a.m, stating that “rocks and bottles are being thrown at officers, and numerous gunshots are being fired by sideshow crowd.”

There were so many cars towed that it took more than 12 hours to take them all away, Oakland police Officer Johnna Watson said. The majority of the cars towed were not registered to Oakland residents.

The combination of reckless driving, alcohol and general lawlessness made for a particularly dangerous mix, she said. Many of the cars towed had empty or half-consumed booze bottles in them. Many onlookers were reportedly firing gunshots into the air.

“You’ve got hundreds of cars violating the law, you’ve got people firing guns, you’ve got cars blocking on-ramps and going the wrong way down one-way streets,” she said. “An officer was hit in the head with a rock. The violence of the sideshow group is concerning, not only in Oakland but regionally. It’s a regional concern.”

City Councilman Noel Gallo, who represents the East Oakland neighborhood where many of the sideshows take place, said Saturday night’s gathering was abnormally large, with upward of 200 cars involved. He said the sideshow attracted drivers from as far away as Fresno and Modesto.

“We have to address the issue and be more aggressive in enforcing the laws that are on the books,” he said. “Nobody is going to try to get away with this stuff in San Leandro or Alameda. But when it comes to Oakland, they say, ‘It’s part of the culture. It’s a cool thing to do.’ In reality, sideshows are not good for anyone, even the driver. It doesn’t make sense to burn up your car.”

Most of the vehicles involved were towed from the area of 42nd Avenue and Interstate 880 starting around 2:30 a.m. There also were reports of sideshow activity on Hegenberger Road near Oakland International Airport.

The sideshows concluded at about 5 a.m., police said. The High Street off-ramp from southbound I-880 was shut down until around noon.

Sideshows, popular in Oakland since the 1980s, are ad hoc automotive stunt shows that typically take place late at night in vacant lots or public intersections.

Watson said that police were aware that a sideshow was being planned for Saturday night and activated a sideshow detail that includes police, tow truck operators and California Highway Patrol. She said the department has stepped up efforts to educate the public about the dangers of sideshows and is committed to cracking down on the events.

“We hope in the future to deter anyone who would want to come into our community and have a negative impact,” Watson said. “If you come to Oakland, you should know that if we are able to catch you we will issue you a citation, tow your car, and in some cases arrest you.”

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfjkdineen