I took these photos in downtown Oakland about a year or so after the tragic shooting death of Oscar Grant. The black & white posters had been spray-painted, layered and torn, showing the scars of violent protests, peaceful expression, and the passage of time.
Scroll down for the story behind these images …
Oscar Grant III
The events were captured on multiple digital video and cell phone cameras. The footage was disseminated to media outlets and to various websites, where it was watched millions of times. The following days saw both peaceful and violent protests.
Aftermath
Protesters holding signs while walking in the streets on January 8, 2009.
Protests, both peaceful and violent, continued through the trial of the BART police officer Johannes Mehserle. On November 5, 2010, Mehserle was sentenced to two years with double credit for time already served, reducing his term by 292 days for the 146 days he has already spent in jail. The judge overturned the gun enhancement, which could have added an additional 3 to 10 years to the sentence. He was released from prison at 12:01 am on June 13, 2011.
In popular culture
In January 2013, filmmaker Ryan Coogler premiered Fruitvale (later retitled Fruitvale Station), a dramatization of the last 24 hours in Grant’s life; the film incorporates some of the footage shot by eyewitnesses during the BART confrontation, and principal photography also included locations in Oakland, San Francisco, San Leandro, and San Quentin State Prison. The film initially screened at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival on January 19. On January 26, 2013, the film won the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize as well as the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.
Fergus Mason published a book about the events in 2013.
Additionally, the Oakland, California indie rock band Rogue Wave reference the incident in the song “Solitary Gun” on their 2010 album Permalight. “Stepped off the train and looked for Fruitvale signs. The January air it whips across my spine.”
In 2009, a short time before his own death, the rapper Dolla created a song titled “Oscar Grant” and it is dedicated to him.
Read more about the circumstances around the tragic death of Oscar Grant here >
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BART_Police_shooting_of_Oscar_Grant
Poster images: © deb davies thorkelson | iPhone photos
Text Source: Wikipedia “The Free Encyclopedia”
One of the cases where the “like” button isn’t semantically appropriate…
What I meant was: Thanks for sharing.
Take care
Brian
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Thanks for this story. History seems to be always on repeat, sadly enough …
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Great post. Thanks.
I thought the images were of graffiti art. I suppose in a way, they are. It’s layers of the history of the story, added by random individuals.
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Great photos and a nice snippet of history completely outside of my peripheral vision, thank you.
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They have abused their power for long enough. Their plan is to divide and conquer! We the people need to unite as one. Great article!
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