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In Oakland, protesters turn streets into giant dance party: ‘One more song’

Demonstrators raise their fists during a "Sit Out the Curfew" protest in Oakland on Wednesday.
Demonstrators raise their fists during a “Sit Out the Curfew” protest against the death of George Floyd in Oakland on Wednesday.
(Philip Pacheco / Agence France-Presse )
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In Oakland, a peaceful demonstration turned into a dance party Wednesday night as protests over the police killing of George Floyd continued across the country.

As tunes from Kanye West and the Maze featuring Frankie Beverly were belted in the background, a mass of protesters rocked out in the city’s streets. (Warning: Some posts contain profanity.)

The group had earlier participated in a peaceful rally, but as night wore on, the scene began to resemble a nightclub more than a protest.

While the group was clearly breaking the city’s 8 p.m. curfew, the Oakland Police Department didn’t disrupt the rollicking demonstration.

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Reports described thousands of people present, with the impromptu dance party lasting till nearly midnight.

“Another peaceful and proud night, #Oakland,” Oakland Mayor Libby Shaaf tweeted Thursday morning.

While nearby communities such as San Leandro and Vallejo — where an unarmed 22-year-old man was fatally shot by a police during looting Tuesday night — have reported nights of unrest, Shaaf has tweeted that demonstrations in the city have remained largely peaceful.

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