By Vanguard Staff
BERKELEY, CA — Advocates for unhoused residents are calling on the Berkeley Police Accountability Board to launch a full investigation into what they describe as a dangerous, disproportionate, and illegal sweep of a West Berkeley encampment by police.
At 6:00 a.m. on June 4, the Berkeley Police Department conducted a surprise raid at the encampment located at 8th and Harrison Streets, where many residents are elderly and disabled. According to witnesses, dozens of officers arrived and quickly established a wide perimeter, blocking observers from documenting police actions. Officers reportedly used what appeared to be smoke or smoke devices, and less lethal weapons, while threatening arrest and using bulldozers to dismantle tents and shelters.
In one especially disturbing incident, officers tackled a homeless man to the ground—despite the fact that he was complying with orders and had informed them that he had been hit by a car earlier that same week. Witnesses described the scene as chaotic and traumatizing, with several residents unable to retrieve medications, walkers, or essential belongings before being displaced.
“We will not allow the City of Berkeley to deploy riot-style tactics against unhoused residents—tactics the world is currently witnessing being used by the Trump administration in Los Angeles,” said Yesica Prado, an organizer with Berkeley Homeless Union.
Community groups are preparing to speak at the upcoming Police Accountability Board meeting on Wednesday, June 11 at 6:30 p.m., where they will call for a full and transparent investigation into the raid.
“What we witnessed that morning was a premeditated attack on individuals, due process and the civil liberties of Berkeleyans. We need the City Council to require that the BPD gives its full cooperation and turns over documentation related to this operation in a timely manner,” said Andrea Henson of Where Do We Go.
Observers and members of Berkeley Copwatch also report being physically manhandled and threatened with arrest for attempting to exercise their First Amendment right to observe and document police conduct. They were reportedly blocked from identifying what property was being taken, how it was being stored, and where it was going.
Advocates argue this not only violates the right to record public officials but also the right to petition the government for redress of grievances, as they were gathering evidence of potential misconduct.
