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Oakland Considers Banning 'Tools of Violence' From Future Demonstrations

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It took about 20 seconds for a handful of people to destroy this empty BART Police car parked near 12th and Broadway during a July 13, 2013, march in Oakland protesting the acquittal of George Zimmerman for killing unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin last year in Florida. (Alex Emslie/KQED)
It took about 20 seconds for a handful of people to destroy this empty BART Police car parked near 12th and Broadway during a July 13, 2013, march in Oakland protesting the acquittal of George Zimmerman for killing unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin last year in Florida. (Alex Emslie/KQED)

SFGate reports that "hammers, slingshots, clubs, wrenches, spray-paint cans, shields and other potentially destructive items" would be banned from demonstrations in Oakland under a proposed ordinance that the City Council will consider next week.

The City considered a similar ban in 2012 during the Occupy protests, but failed to pass it after Occupy demonstrators complained that such an ordinance would violate their first amendment right to free speech.

The proposal to ban "tools of violence" from future demonstrations comes less than two weeks after protesters smashed windows in downtown Oakland and struck a waiter in the face with a hammer.

"Certain individuals feel they can do whatever they want - burn my city, break windows, hurt individuals. It has to stop," said Councilman Noel Gallo, who introduced the proposal. "We are tired of it."

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