Dozens of riders who flooded the Bay Bridge during the sideshow-related incident on Sunday abandoned their vehicles as traffic ground to a halt during the subsequent police operation.
Seventy-seven dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles were recovered after authorities shut down eastbound lanes to stop the group, James Beere, the Oakland Police Department’s interim chief, said during a Monday press conference. The operation halted traffic and caused widespread delays as riders fled on foot, leaving vehicles scattered across the span.
Nine people in total were arrested — five on misdemeanor charges and four on felony charges — and two firearms were recovered, Beere confirmed. Police also towed additional vehicles that had been used to transport the bikes into Oakland earlier in the day. In the past, Oakland residents have been vocal against sideshows and the ongoing police response. Beere said law enforcement is committed to tracking down those involved.
“This isn’t over,” Beere said. “… If you made it away yesterday, just expect a knock at your door.”
The coordinated enforcement action capped a roughly two-month investigation into the group, involving undercover officers, drone surveillance and real-time monitoring. More than 100 officers from multiple units were deployed Sunday, including traffic enforcement, SWAT and specialized motorcycle teams.
The riders initially gathered in San Leandro before moving into East Oakland, where they off-loaded bikes at a park that investigators identified as a staging area, Beere said. From there, they rode through city streets, drawing complaints as they traveled through Oakland and Berkeley and toward San Francisco.
San Francisco Police Department Chief Derrick Lew said officers began receiving calls at 4:45 p.m. reporting a “bike takeover” in the city. The riders entered San Francisco and “quickly overwhelmed intersections,” riding through city streets for more than 45 minutes before returning to the bridge.
As the group made their way back to Oakland, officers across the OPD, SFPD and the California Highway Patrol coordinated to intercept the group on the bridge. Eastbound lanes were temporarily shut down during the operation.
When officers moved in, Beere said many riders abandoned their bikes and fled on foot, some jumping fences or dispersing in different directions. One person attempted to escape by diving into the water but was taken into custody.
Lew described the incident as part of a broader issue across California involving illegal sideshows and group rides. In the past year, Lew said SF police have found that their ongoing response to sideshows has resulted in the seizure of more than 140 vehicles, including 85 bikes during a March operation that targeted a similar attempted takeover of the Bay Bridge.
“We know these takeovers are a regional problem, and we will continue to work in close collaboration with our local and state partners,” Lew said.
Steve Ramos, the CHP’s Golden Gate Division chief, said the operation showed improved coordination among agencies. “This is an example of coming together and working in unison to truly make sure that we are providing the safest environment to all communities within the Bay Area,” he said.
The investigation remains ongoing.