Two people wearing black hoodies and black face masks hurled five rocks through the windows of Kilovolt, a newly established coffee shop on Mandela Parkway at 1 a.m. on Thursday, breaking several windows, scratching countertops, and damaging the coffee brewing machine.
The vandalism occurred just a few hours after the Oakland Planning Commission approved the West Oakland Specific Plan (WOSP), a controversial redevelopment plan, with a vote of 4-2.
Prior to the meeting, protesters opposed to WOSP marched from DeFremery Park, according to an article published in a anarchist publication, Fireworks. Some demonstrators tried to block the entrance of the meeting, while others used the public comments period to discuss gentrification and rising rents.
Ethan Ashley, the owner of Kilovolt, strongly believes there is a connection between the vandalism and the WOSP protesters. During the rally and march, fliers titled "Spread the Struggle Against Gentrification" distributed among the crowd called specifically for vandalism.
"Oakland is becoming unrecognizable. Fight back. Vandalize development and gentrifying businesses." These were some of the phrases printed on the fliers that feature a giant hand clawing at a map of West Oakland (oddly resembling old Nazi Propoganda poster, as reported by the East Bay Express).