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Oakland police make scores of arrests following transit shooting

By By the Associated Press

Story Created: Jul 9, 2010 at 6:37 AM EDT

Story Updated: Jul 9, 2010 at 6:37 AM EDT

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Violent protests have led to scores of arrests in Oakland, Calif.

The demonstrations follow a Los Angeles jury's conviction of a white former transit officer of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting of an unarmed black man in the back as he lay on the ground on a train platform.

Prosecutors had wanted the former officer convicted of murdering Oscar Grant, and yesterday's lesser verdict raised concerns of a repeat of the rioting that followed the shooting on New Year's Day in 2009. The trial was moved to Los Angeles following the riots.

Emotions ran high with about 500 people marching in the street yesterday as police in riot gear had maintained a watchful eye. Members of a crowd near City Hall moaned and cursed when they heard the verdict.

Sporadic violence later broke out and police said they made 83 arrests throughout the night for violations that included failure to disperse, vandalism and assaulting a police officer.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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