Oakland Protester Unmasked As Undercover Cop, Aimed Gun at Photographer

An undercover law enforcement officer attempted
to infiltrate an anti-police brutality protest in Oakland,
California, last night. But once his cover was blown, he drew his
gun. A photographer snapped pictures of him pointing it directly at
the camera.

The
San Francisco Chronicle has more on this bizarre
incident:

The undercover work — captured by a freelance photographer
working for The Chronicle — raised questions about tactics employed
by police and protesters as authorities seek to get a handle on
rallies that have flooded the streets of Oakland, Berkeley and San
Francisco, at times shutting down freeways and devolving into
vandalism and looting.

About 50 people were marching near Lake Merritt just after 11:30
p.m. Wednesday when some of the demonstrators began calling out two
men who were walking with the group, said the freelance
photographer, Michael Short.

“Just as we turned up 27th Street, the crowd started yelling at
these two guys, saying they were undercover cops,” Short said
Thursday. “Somebody snatched a hat off the shorter guy’s head and
he was fumbling around for it. A guy ran up behind him, knocked him
down on the ground. That guy jumped backed up and chased after him
and tackled him and the crowd began surging on them.

“The other taller guy had a small baton out,” Short said. “But
as the crowd started surging on them, he pulled out a gun.”

Read the rest of the article—and check out the pictures of the
officer—here.