Acrid smoke is greeting San Franciscans on their way into work this morning after another terrifying night of sideshows took Oakland and the waterfront.
Police refused to intervene and not a single arrest was made among the thousands who risked their lives as cars tore round their city centers in what has become a routine occurrence.
Onlookers were sent flying as cars plowed into them at one event in Oakland, and a torched Chevy provided a grisly centerpiece to the Embarcadero spectacle as tire smoke reduced visibility to near zero.
‘We are on our own here,’ tweeted one resident. ‘Why do we pay taxes again?’
A torched Chevy provided a grisly centerpiece to the sideshow at Embarcadaro
Hundreds of hooded youths descended on the intersection of Grand and Lake Park Avenue in Oakland in the early hours of Sunday morning to see dozens of drivers who had assembled.
Two circling cars are seen smashing into each other in one grisly video before a crowd of onlookers rushes in to jump on their hoods.
Seconds later they are sent flying as one of the cars accelerates at speed, flinging them onto the street as it disappears out of frame.
Residents of the waterfront leaned out of their balconies to film the chaos unfolding in the streets of Embarcadero which was so crowded that some attendees had to stand on the roofs of their own cars to see the action.
Police were called to what they described an ‘active exhibition of stunt driving’ in Embarcadero and Washington streets at around 2.10am.
But they sat on the sidelines as the waterfront area was transformed into an apocalyptic scene of smoke, fire, lasers, fireworks and squealing tires.
‘This is well outside the control of SFPD,’ wrote one horrified observer. ‘This requires City Leaders to find additional resources and support our troops on the ground.’
‘SFPD when I call says ‘We can’t arrest them all!’,’ added another.
‘OK, I say. How about arrest a dozen or so? Impound the cars. No? OK, arrest 3 or 4. One? Can you arrest even one? I’m an old man and I could arrest one.’
Fireworks, smoke, and lasers reduced visibility to near zero as the cars hurtled past
Spectators were sent flying after trying to attack a driver who then accelerated at speed
A Chevy Camaro which broke down in front of the of Pier 1 building was set on fire as cheering spectators leapt on top.
Vehicles and spectators melted away as police eventually arrived with reinforcements but by 3am the action had moved to the intersection of Valencia and Cesar Chavez streets in the Mission District where passengers clung to the vehicles as their drivers struggled maintain control.
A motorist was beaten and hauled out of his car which was then stolen when he accidentally drove into an area taken over for a sideshow in Menlo Park in April.
Video showed him apologizing to a fellow spectator, who proceeds to pull a mask over his face and force him out of the car before driving off and pulling ‘donuts’.
More events were reported in Oakland at points Grand Avenue before Sunday night was over but again no arrests were reported.
More than 30 sideshows were reported last July 4 in Oakland, and residents fear the phenomenon will only accelerate as the summer proceeds.
‘Looks like these are starting to come together with a degree of sophistication now,’ wrote one.
‘When your mayor and the police can’t maintain law and order you call in the National Guard,’ added another.
