More anti-Trump rallies under way, clashes with police in Oakland

Anti-Trump demonstrators spilled onto the streets of downtown Oakland on Thursday night, meeting resistance from police who sought to prevent protesters from stopping freeway traffic and vandalizing downtown businesses as they’d done the night before.

Large crowds from a peaceful rally at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza that ended around 8 p.m. tried to make their way down Broadway, where on Wednesday some lit street fires, smashed windows and sprayed graffiti.

Officers in riot gear stood firm across sections of Broadway, trying to limit the crowd’s access to the city’s central strip of businesses. Splinter groups made their way along other downtown streets and managed to emerge on parts of Broadway where minor vandalism was reported.

Many demonstrators headed north up Telegraph Avenue, where several attempted to get on Interstate 580 around 10 p.m. to block cars. But long lines of police appeared to succeed in keeping traffic mostly flowing. At least two demonstrators who cut through a fence and ran onto the freeway, causing a brief hangup, were arrested.

An Oakland resident and her dog are caught up in a Donald Trump protest march on Telegraph in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, November 10, 2016. An Oakland resident and her dog are caught up in a Donald Trump protest march on Telegraph in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, November 10, 2016. Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 68 Caption Close More anti-Trump rallies under way, clashes with police in Oakland 1 / 68 Back to Gallery

By 11 p.m., the bulk of the protestors had returned to Frank H. Ogawa Plaza where they resumed chants against Trump and the Oakland Police Department. They numbered a few hundred, down from about 1,000 who attended the initial rally.

Several incidents of graffiti, much of promoting violence and offering such plugs as “Kill Trump,” were reported. Many small street fires were set and a handful of windows were smashed. The crimes, though, did not initially appear to be as widespread as the night before.

At least a half dozen arrests were made.

Police staffing was increased on both sides of the bay after frustration with Tuesday’s election outcome prompted thousands to take to the streets in both Oakland and San Francisco on Wednesday.

Before the Oakland rally near City Hall ended and the crowd of about 1,000 spread out, speakers shared their concerns about what they saw as Donald Trump’s racism and sexism as well as the broader issue of police brutality while supporters looked on.

“I thought about what people around the world must think about what we’ve done,” said Berkeley resident James George, referring to Trump’s election. “I think if they see protests, they’ll know that not all Americans think that way.”

While the real estate mogul and reality star soundly defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in the presidential race, many in the Bay Area and across the country remained concerned about the Republican’s agenda, notably his campaign pledges to keep out immigrants, do away with the Affordable Care Act and appoint conservative judges to the courts.

“The different branches of government are all going to be controlled by the right,” said El Sobrante resident Christopher Ray, 31, who also gathered at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza. “That is scary for passing any sort of liberal legislation.”

In San Francisco, where protests on Wednesday similarly drew thousands of people but remained more peaceful, a small rally began at 6 p.m. at the Embarcadero. About 50 protesters marched on the sidewalk along Market Street to Fourth Street, and back again, chanting such slogans as “Not my president” and “Putin and Trump, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”

“It’s sad we have someone so hateful for president,” said Jessie Sharp of San Francisco. “I’ve had a terrible few days. I’m not sleeping. It’s just been awful.”

Many demonstrations, from high school walkouts to student protests at San Francisco City Hall, took place Thursday morning and continued into the afternoon. Traffic backups were reported at various points, following police advisories Wednesday evening for commuters to avoid downtown areas.

Emilia Mckiley, a senior at Mission High School who had been marching in the streets near the school since 9 a.m., said she and others would be out until they were too tired to walk.

“People are going to go home and come back,” she said.

Police from across the Bay Area have been brought in to assist local agencies during the rallies, especially in Oakland.

“The department has increased our staffing and aligned resources to facilitate a peaceful march,” said Oakland Police Department spokesman Joe Wolfcale earlier Thursday. “We are committed to upholding the constitutional right to free speech and peaceful assembly, while enforcing all laws against violent acts, vandalism, trespassing or other criminal activity.”

Oakland officials pleaded with demonstrators to remain peaceful Thursday after the previous night’s violence. Three police officers were injured in skirmishes with protesters and a student journalist from UC Berkeley said he was attacked by four masked men as he tried to photograph the looting and vandalism. He was taken to an emergency room with a fractured cheekbone and abrasions.

Thirty people were arrested for the suspected crimes of vandalism, assault on an officer, failure to disperse, unlawful assembly and possession of a firearm, according to police.

In a letter to Oakland business owners, Mayor Libby Schaaf apologized, explaining why it “seems our police department cannot stop” the “anarchists” who “invade” peaceful demonstrations.

“When (police) step in to stop an act of vandalism while it is happening, they become the new focal point for the crowds which can lead to an escalation of violence, not a decrease in the vandalism,” Schaaf said in the letter.

On Thursday afternoon, residents and business owners, who were still cleaning up after Wednesday’s events, were preparing for more destruction Thursday. Many glass doors and windows on storefronts were covered with plywood.

Sameer Arahimi, who owns the franchise for the MetroPCS store at Broadway and Ninth Street not far from Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, remembered the unruly protests two years ago that sprung from the Black Lives Matter movement and feared similar destruction.

“I hope that nothing goes wrong,” he said, referring to Thursday night’s planned activities. “It’s possible that protesters are mad and they take it out on every business they see.”

In recent years, the MetroPCS store has installed security cameras and a metal retractable fence at the entrance to prevent looters from breaking in.

“We’re just a family-owned operation trying to make a living,” Arahimi said.

Chronicle staff writers Evan Sernoffsky and Sarah Ravani contributed to this report.