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Agenda Item
4 26-0781 Subject: Sideshow Penalty Ordinance
From: Councilmember Wang
Recommendation: Adopt An Ordinance Amending Oakland Municipal Code Chapter 10.74 (Sideshows) To: (1) Increase Penalties For Sideshow Participants And Spectators; (2) Broaden The Definition Of Motor Vehicles; (3) Strengthen Impoundment Authority; And (4) Create Enforcement Exemptions For Certain Members Of The Public, Law Enforcement And Media Personnel
I urge City Council to pass this legislation. Sideshows are not "culture"; they are dangerous activities that put the physical well-being - even the very lives - of onlookers and drivers at unnecessary risk. Also, it appears that many if not most of the vehicles used in the sideshows are stolen. Participants and organizers of sideshows should face consequences sufficient think twice before participating in or organizing in these illegal events. A close neighbor was nearly beaten to death and left permanently brain-damaged by violent sideshow participants a few years ago when he tried to stop a sideshow adjacent to his home, because prior sideshows in that location had caused substantial damage to his property. Last, violence, and at times gun violence, appears to be a regular feature in the aftermath of sideshows. Sideshow driving is decidedly ^not^ an extreme "sport"; calling it a sport is an insult to the very concept of "sport" which includes fair play and respect. Rather sideshows are extreme lawbreaking and an extreme insult to the vast majority of Oakland's law-abiding citizens who are more and more demanding a return to basic civility in our streets and public commons.
Hi My name is Maurice Andre San-Chez. I live in Longfellow in District 1. I'm a local Music Educator who went on hunger strike in 2022 to keep majority Black and Brown Public schools open. I understand that there is a vote today on Charlene Wang's Side Show Penalty Ordinance. While I agree that side shows are annoying, temporarily disrupt peaceful neighborhoods, and can be dangerous I oppose this proposal. This legislation is Anti-Black and Anti-The Town. While I believe the intention behind this proposed legislation stems from safety, emergency resource allocation, and annoyance this legislation fails to provide an outlet for the people who love and are interested in this cultural event. I encourage the council to vote no and revisit this piece of legislation to build better solutions than penalizing and ostracizing the very people that help to create Oakland's culture. Why did they emerge? If it's not safe how can we make it safe? Can these events happen in a specific part of town, or is the plan to eradicate this cultural phenomenon just because it doesn't fit the mold of what some deem safe enjoyable entertainment? Driving, bikeriding, swimming, sky diving, NASCAR racing, or any number of extreme sports aren't safe but allowed. Let's put together regulations that include risk management and location allocations instead of complete cultural annihilation.
With Respect and Love of The Town,
Andre (District 1)
While living in downtown Oakland, we experienced firsthand how devastating sideshows were to quality of life. Weekend after weekend, and many weeknights, the noise made sleep impossible. It wasn't just an inconvenience; it was exhausting and demoralizing. And this isn't a downtown-only problem. Sideshows have spread across the city, affecting neighborhoods everywhere.
Beyond the noise, sideshows pose a genuine safety threat. Blocked intersections, reckless driving, and large unruly gatherings put residents, pedestrians, and bystanders at serious risk. Every time the city fails to act, it sends a message that this behavior is acceptable, and Oakland's reputation suffers for it.
This ordinance takes meaningful, overdue steps: stronger penalties for participants and spectators, broader vehicle impoundment authority, and a clearer legal framework for enforcement. These are exactly the tools Oakland needs.
I urge the committee to move this ordinance forward without delay. Oaklanders deserve safe streets and peaceful nights. Please vote yes.
I urge the City Council to approve this proposed legislation to increase penalties and broaden the definition of motor vehicles, as well as other provisions outlined here. At Lake Merritt, we often have dirt bikes and ATVs come to do sideshows in the park's parking lots and surrounding streets, making it dangerous for park visitors and residents to be in the park. Sideshows block public streets for dangerous stunts and speed contests. Sideshows cause injuries, collisions, and deaths. Every sideshow pulls police, fire, emergency responders, and public works crews away from other calls — costing the city money and slowing response times across Oakland. Please support this initiative and make our streets safer.
I urge City Council to pass this legislation. Sideshows are not "culture"; they are dangerous activities that put the physical well-being - even the very lives - of onlookers and drivers at unnecessary risk. Also, it appears that many if not most of the vehicles used in the sideshows are stolen. Participants and organizers of sideshows should face consequences sufficient think twice before participating in or organizing in these illegal events. A close neighbor was nearly beaten to death and left permanently brain-damaged by violent sideshow participants a few years ago when he tried to stop a sideshow adjacent to his home, because prior sideshows in that location had caused substantial damage to his property. Last, violence, and at times gun violence, appears to be a regular feature in the aftermath of sideshows. Sideshow driving is decidedly ^not^ an extreme "sport"; calling it a sport is an insult to the very concept of "sport" which includes fair play and respect. Rather sideshows are extreme lawbreaking and an extreme insult to the vast majority of Oakland's law-abiding citizens who are more and more demanding a return to basic civility in our streets and public commons.
Dear Council & Community,
Hi My name is Maurice Andre San-Chez. I live in Longfellow in District 1. I'm a local Music Educator who went on hunger strike in 2022 to keep majority Black and Brown Public schools open. I understand that there is a vote today on Charlene Wang's Side Show Penalty Ordinance. While I agree that side shows are annoying, temporarily disrupt peaceful neighborhoods, and can be dangerous I oppose this proposal. This legislation is Anti-Black and Anti-The Town. While I believe the intention behind this proposed legislation stems from safety, emergency resource allocation, and annoyance this legislation fails to provide an outlet for the people who love and are interested in this cultural event. I encourage the council to vote no and revisit this piece of legislation to build better solutions than penalizing and ostracizing the very people that help to create Oakland's culture. Why did they emerge? If it's not safe how can we make it safe? Can these events happen in a specific part of town, or is the plan to eradicate this cultural phenomenon just because it doesn't fit the mold of what some deem safe enjoyable entertainment? Driving, bikeriding, swimming, sky diving, NASCAR racing, or any number of extreme sports aren't safe but allowed. Let's put together regulations that include risk management and location allocations instead of complete cultural annihilation.
With Respect and Love of The Town,
Andre (District 1)
While living in downtown Oakland, we experienced firsthand how devastating sideshows were to quality of life. Weekend after weekend, and many weeknights, the noise made sleep impossible. It wasn't just an inconvenience; it was exhausting and demoralizing. And this isn't a downtown-only problem. Sideshows have spread across the city, affecting neighborhoods everywhere.
Beyond the noise, sideshows pose a genuine safety threat. Blocked intersections, reckless driving, and large unruly gatherings put residents, pedestrians, and bystanders at serious risk. Every time the city fails to act, it sends a message that this behavior is acceptable, and Oakland's reputation suffers for it.
This ordinance takes meaningful, overdue steps: stronger penalties for participants and spectators, broader vehicle impoundment authority, and a clearer legal framework for enforcement. These are exactly the tools Oakland needs.
I urge the committee to move this ordinance forward without delay. Oaklanders deserve safe streets and peaceful nights. Please vote yes.
Please support the approved legislation. These sideshows are dangerous and the current penalties are not a sufficient deterrent.
I urge the City Council to approve this proposed legislation to increase penalties and broaden the definition of motor vehicles, as well as other provisions outlined here. At Lake Merritt, we often have dirt bikes and ATVs come to do sideshows in the park's parking lots and surrounding streets, making it dangerous for park visitors and residents to be in the park. Sideshows block public streets for dangerous stunts and speed contests. Sideshows cause injuries, collisions, and deaths. Every sideshow pulls police, fire, emergency responders, and public works crews away from other calls — costing the city money and slowing response times across Oakland. Please support this initiative and make our streets safer.