5 arrests after protesters in Oakland blocked I-880, vandalize Police HQ

OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - A total of five arrests were made and one citation was issued in connection with Thursday's protest in Oakland. 

Interstate 880 reopened Friday after more than a thousand protesters demonstrating against police violence stormed the highway overnight, blocking traffic for several hours.

The California Highway Patrol issued a Sig-alert for a section of the highway in Oakland around 9:00p.m.after the protestors shut down the roadway in both directions.

CHP vehicles finally moved in around 11:30p.m. to start clearing the roadway, fully reopening the freeway around 1:00a.m. Friday morning.

The protests started Thursday around 7 p.m. when a group of approximately 100 demonstrators gathered at Frank Ogawa Plaza, in response to the fatal police shootings of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota.

The group quickly grew to about 2,000 people.

As the demonstrators made their way toward 6th Street, a group of approximately 1,000 went onto the freeway and blocked traffic in both directions, police said.

Police have reported vandalism to the Police Administration Building, including paint on the doors, scratches on glass and broken glass.

There have been other incidents of vandalism reported including broken windows and graffiti at nearby businesses, and a Caltrans signboard was set on fire on the highway, police said.

One of the arrests was in connection to vandalism at the police department, one person was arrested for burglary after a window was broken at Smart & Final, two people were arrested for throwing bottles at officers, one person was arrested for graffiti, and a citation for graffiti was issued. 

KTVU's Amber Lee reported from the scene in the 10 o'clock hour where she said police had given protesters plenty of space. She described the scene of protesters singing and dancing at times on the freeway likening it to a  "casual party" atmosphere.