Supporters of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao rallied Tuesday saying the community should be praising her for firing former police Chief LeRonne Armstrong.
Thao dismissed the chief without cause several weeks ago amid accusations that he failed to adequately oversee an investigation into officer misconduct.
Thao's supporters, including community leaders from Oakland's Chinatown and the Oakland Progressive Alliance, said the firing was necessary if Oakland hopes to end 20 years of federal oversight of its police department.
"We stand with the actions that will continue to move the city out of the long shadow of federal oversight, scandal, coverups and into an era of accountability and transparency between the community and the police department," said Saabir Lockett with the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy.
Speakers at Tuesday's rally did not offer specific reasons why they felt the chief needed to be dismissed, but said they believe the mayor's actions pave a path to accountability for the entire police department.
"Our community needs changes, they need reform," said Kenneth Tang with APEN Action Oakland. "They want to see improvement in their communities and accountability is the first step to ensure public servants are being accountable for."
Some argue the multiple rallies held in support of the ousted police chief are part of a larger political fight against the city's newly elected progressives.
"The people who lost in the mayoral campaign do not like the fact that we have Sheng Thao in office, do not like that we have a core progressive city council members in office,' said Walter Riley, an Oakland lawyer and civil rights activist.
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Sam Singer, spokesperson for Armstrong, provided the following statement Tuesday:
"Mayor Sheng Thao suffered a self-inflected wound when she terminated Chief LeRonne Armstrong. The Chief is widely respected and supported throughout every community in Oakland. The mayor fired the Chief--even though the Police Commission said it would not have taken that action. Today's event demonstrates that the progressive left is worried about the mayor's reputation and the damage she has done to her ability to lead Oakland. The mayor is in deep trouble and today’s event proves that fact."
Armstrong filed an official appeal last week, claiming the firing was a wrongful and retaliatory termination that should be overturned. The appeals process is expected to take months.
