Oakland mayor and FilAm City Council president clash over Chinatown policing

Oakland Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas felt she was blamed for lack of police in Chinatown

During a press conference last week about the recent attacks against Asian elderly in Oakland's Chinatown, Mayor Libby Schaff appeared to blame the recent increase in Chinatown crime on the defunding of the police department, when she pointed a finger at Filipino American City Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas.

Bas told Oaklandside that recent cuts to OPD, which removed police officers from some parts of the city, including Chinatown, were made by Schaaf and City Administrator Ed Reiskin in December—not by her and the rest of the council.

“The mayor’s office and the city administrator unilaterally made these cuts without consulting community, without consulting labor. They made the decision to pull the community resource officers from the whole city, not just Chinatown,” Alvina Wong, Asian Pacific Environmental Network’s Campaign and Director, told Newsweek.

“Crimes against Asians have been horrific, and “anti-Blackness is on the rise because we live in a system rooted in white supremacy,” she tweeted.

Bas and Councilwoman Carroll Fife pushed back, pointing out that recent cuts to Chinatown police presence were made by the mayor’s administration, and accusing Schaaf of sowing division between Black and Asian communities, according to Oaklandside.

Bas, who represents Chinatown, told KTVU this week that many members of the Chinese and Vietnamese communities feel as though public safety isn't working for them.

"Some communities are feeling overpoliced. That's their truth," Bas said. "And others are feeling under-policed. That's their truth."

Bas said that the crimes against Asians have been horrific, and she also agreed that she has seen "anti-Blackness" on the rise "because we live in a system rooted in white supremacy."

Both communities have been victimized, said Oakland Councilmember Carroll Fife, who is Black and whose district includes downtown and West Oakland.

"And there's a whole bunch of trauma on both sides," she said. "Oakland is a tinderbox."

As tensions mount, several groups have decided to work together instead of falling into stereotypes and blame.

"The tension between the Asian and Black communities is building right now and we cannot repeat history," tweeted Michelle Kim of Oakland. "Asians - we can fight anti-Asian racism without being anti-Black or pro-police. Black folks - people condemn anti-Asian rhetoric within your own community and amplify our pain."