Protesters leave mark on city during Oakland demonstration

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Christmas was no holiday for Oakland protesters.

A few dozen protesters marched through the streets of downtown Oakland to protest police brutality and and small faction attacked the city's Christmas tree and vandalized property.

The group first gathered at Broadway and 14th Street and at 6 p.m. began their march. They walked down the middle of the street, inconveniencing a few cars and AC Transit buses.

Their message: black lives matter.

Cadine Williams' brother O'Shaine Evans was shot and killed by a San Francisco police officer near AT&T Park in October.

"Our holidays will never be the same again," Williams said. "As we were sitting having dinner, there was an empty chair there for him with his plate there."

The officer says Evans was breaking into cars and pointed a gun at him.

Oakland police kept their distance as the protesters circled the downtown area, but they soon found themselves responding to reports of vandalism.

Almost every window at the BevMo and Subway sandwich shop on Embarcadero West were smashed. Lights and ornaments were torn off the Christmas tree at Jack London Square. A dumpster was set on fire at Broadway and Fourth Street. A person with his face covered was caught tagging the window of a restaurant.

ABC7 News reporter Katie Marzullo has captured some of the vandalism via Twitter.

Protesters intended to keep police busy on Christmas calling the march, "No Time Off." The demonstration lasted about 90 minutes.