California: Oakland Business Owners Hold Strike Over Rising Crime

Downtown Oakland, California, saw an unusual scene on Tuesday morning as store and restaurant owners organized a strike in response to the surging crime in the area, according to ABC7.

The strike aims to send a powerful message to City Hall, advocating for improved protection and support, enabling businesses to operate safely and sustain their livelihoods.

Many participating business owners gathered in front of Le Cheval to hold a news conference, where they voiced their concerns.

Regrettably, Le Cheval has decided to close at the end of the month due to the impact of crime and sluggish sales post-pandemic.

Participating merchants, echoing the sentiment of Le Cheval, are witnessing a decline in customers and foot traffic, largely attributed to car break-ins, carjackings, robberies, and assaults.

It has reached a critical juncture where insurance companies are reportedly refusing to renew policies for Oakland businesses, deeming the city as "high-risk."

Nigel Jones, the owner of Kingston 11 and Calabash restaurant, expressed the community's stance, saying, "Oakland has been known as a city that is okay with violence and crime, we're not.

Look at all of these people here; we're not okay with this. We want to be safe functional, and return to a vibrant city square."

Over 200 Businesses Participated in the Oakland Strike

More than 200 businesses have joined the strike in Oakland, California, to protest the rampant violent crime that is driving customers away from their establishments, Fox Business noted.

Carl Chan, president of the California's Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce and an organizer of the strike, emphasized the importance of the action: "If not, there will be more businesses that will close. So we may sacrifice maybe one day, people may close the entire day, or maybe two hours, but that is a time when we have to say enough is enough."

Chan, who himself survived a violent attack last year, pointed to the assailant's subsequent brutal assault on an 88-year-old Asian woman in San Francisco as a harrowing reminder of the consequences of unchecked crime.

Business owners participating in the strike revealed that they have endured repeated break-ins and robberies, with both patrons and employees growing increasingly concerned for their safety.

Call for Financial Resources Amid Strike

In addition to addressing the immediate crisis, the striking businesses are calling for financial support from the city, county, and state to mitigate their losses.

While state funds were recently allocated to local law enforcement agencies through a grant to combat organized retail crime, Oakland, California missed the funding deadline, KRON4 said.

The forfeiture of this financial resource served as a tipping point for many business owners, prompting their participation in Tuesday's strike.

Ryan Dixon, owner of the restaurant Calavera, underscored that the strike was not their first choice but was undertaken in solidarity with the broader business community.

Meanwhile, Chan emphasized the significance of small businesses, stating, "Small businesses are the biggest employers in the city. We're creating jobs, paying business tax, sales tax, property tax, and income tax. We're all contributing, and there should be resources to support the business community."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Oakland businesses strike over city's public safety - From KRON 4