Heightened security at Oakland mayoral candidates' forum

Three of nine Oakland mayoral candidates participated in a forum Thursday night. There was a heightened police presence after a candidate, who was not invited, made anti-Semitic remarks.

OAKLAND, Calif. - Police and security guards monitored the parking lot of Temple Sinai in Oakland Thursday evening, as a crowd arrived for an Oakland mayoral candidate forum.

Three front runners were invited. The additional security was in response to candidate who was not invited – Peter Liu. Liu sent a mass email threatening the Jewish Community relations council and Temple Sinai.

"Let me just say that we are not concerned about the messenger but about who is listening. And we are living through a time of rising antisemitism and hate against our neighbors," said one of the organizers at the start of the event.

The three candidates who were invited were Councilmember Treva Reid, Councilmember Loren Taylor, and council President pro-tempore Sheng Thao condemned Liu.

Many of the questions dealt with issues that directly impact the Jewish community in Oakland.

The candidates were first asked how they would respond to rising hate.

"Hate crimes are hateful. They are destructive to those who are attacked and they are destructive to dividing our community," said Treva Reid. "I won’t tolerate it as mayor. I don’t tolerate it now."

Taylor said, "It is something we have to stand up and speak out against as soon as we see it."

Thao called for Liu to drop out of the race. She said, "We do need a leader who can call it out for what it is and make sure we denounce it."

Oakland California Politics News