Hundreds Frustrated by Rising Crime in California City Excluded From ‘Community Safety’ Meeting

An estimated 400 Oakland citizens were shut out of a public safety panel discussion attended by the city’s mayor and the county’s district attorney this past w.

Locals concerned about public safety issues gather outside of a "Community Safety" meeting attended by local government and law enforcement officials, at the Genesis Worship Center in East Oakland, Calif., on Sept. 9, 2023. Travis Gillmore/The Epoch Times

OAKLAND, Calif.—An estimated 400 Oakland citizens were shut out of an event on Sept. 9 that was organized to receive information from and provide concerns to the city’s mayor and the county’s district attorney regarding rising crime.

Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price—in addition to a number of law enforcement and city and county officials—spoke at a “Community Safety” meeting held at the Genesis Worship Center, a nondenominational church located in East Oakland, with a seating capacity of about 80; the event was livestreamed on the church’s website for those who couldn’t attend.