Cleanup begins, following rowdy Dimond picnic
Tuesday, June 30, 1998
By Ben Charny

OAKLAND -- A Laurel neighborhood was cleaning up Monday from a "picnic" at Dimond Park that ended with police clearing the streets of rowdy partygoers including some who pelted police with bottles and rocks.

About 300 to 500 people, nearly 10 times what party organizers promised would attend, flooded the neighborhood Saturday, urinating on lawns, selling drugs and firing guns as police tried to disperse the group.

Two police cars were damaged, including one with a broken rear window from a hurled rock. A Safeway store two blocks from the park locked its doors when hundreds of partygoers swarmed into the parking lot.

It took dozens of police officers six hours to return the neighborhood to calm.

"I was so scared, I put a heavy sewing machine in front of my door to keep people out," said one Fruitvale Avenue resident.

"We shouldn't have to put up with that," said another resident in the usually quiet neighborhood.

Police, Oakland Mayor Elihu Harris and City Councilmember Dick Spees (Laurel-Montclair) are reviewing the incident. The investigation will determine if criminal charges should be brought or if event organizers should be forced to pay for police efforts to restore calm.

"We are looking into the whole matter to see what went wrong, so it doesn't happen in the future," said Oakland police Capt. Brad Kearns.

The picnic was being held to celebrate the release of a new collection of songs by rapper Richie Rich, city sources said.

A person representing a record company reserved a Dimond Park picnic area last Tuesday, telling Dimond Park Rec Center Director Mark Zinns they expected about 50 people.

Zinns told the organizer they wouldn't be allowed to have a public address system or other concert equipment.

"He said 'We'll work around that,"' Zinns said.

Zinns said he notified the Oakland Park Rangers to be on alert Saturday and faxed them a copy of the picnic reservation permit.

According to police and witnesses, the event started getting out of hand about 4 p.m. when hundreds flocked to the park.

Nearby streets were jammed with traffic. Residents said it took 30 minutes to drive two blocks. Music blaring from stereos shook second-story windows of several apartment buildings, they said.

Partygoers held "speed contests" up and down the street, according to police reports. An Oakland police officer trying to ticket a motorist for speeding was pelted with rocks and bottles.

"The crowd turned on them," said Oakland Police Department spokesman Arturo Bautista.

Hundreds of partygoers descended on the Safeway store, lying on the hoods of cars parked outside. Safeway spokesman Deborah Lambert said a crowd also swarmed inside the store and began shoplifting.

Lambert said security guards limited store access for several hours. The store manager told neighbors she actually closed the store for about 30 minutes.