The pastor of an Oakland church left in ruins by relentless vandalism accused Mayor Sheng Thao of not caring if his congregation is driven out of the crime-ravaged city.
Vandals and thieves have attacked the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church twelve times since April, leaving it without water, electricity and even natural light.
Plaster has been ripped off the walls and graffiti left on those that remain, while the dwindling congregation is forced to use flashlights because all the windows are now broken and boarded up.
Pastor Grace Ugeh says she has repeatedly contacted the police and the mayor’s office, but received no help in a city where crime increased 18 percent last year.
“It’s a church, if you don’t have a church, how can you pray for the city?” he said. NBC. ‘Our job is to pray for the city. Don’t you like our presence? I don’t know.’
Pastor Grace Ugeh says she has repeatedly contacted the police and the mayor’s office, but received no help in a city where crime increased 18 percent last year.
Documents from his office were scattered across plaster torn from the walls after the latest robbery on Friday night.
The Pentecostal church has survived for 10 years in its current location off the city’s famous Hegenberger Road.
The area was considered the most dangerous square mile in the United States earlier this year, and local stores, gas stations and restaurants are hit by dozens of crimes each day.
A group of residents announced last week that they had obtained the 40,000 signatures needed to force the progressive mayor to face a recall vote in November, less than two years after her election.
Retired Alameda County Judge Brenda Habin-Forte, who organized the petition, accused her of “ruining the city.”
“As much as the so-called virtue of progressives indicates that they support the working class, it is disappointing to see them not only ignore our voices, but continually deceive us and mock us,” he said Wednesday when the total was announced.
“Well, it’s time for a long-marginalized community to finally speak up for ourselves and speak out.”
The number of murders in the city increased from 78 in 2019 to 126 last year, when one resident in 30 had their vehicle stolen.
Property crimes increased 17 percent and violent crimes increased 21 percent last year, while they fell 8.2 percent nationally.
The church moved to its current location in 2014 but the attacks began in April.
“The worst part is walking into a church and seeing this graffiti,” Ugeh said.
The dwindling congregation has to use flashlights because all the windows are now boarded up.
A group of residents announced last week that they had obtained the 40,000 signatures needed to force progressive Mayor Sheng Thao to face a recall vote in November.
A construction crew quit and refused to finish their pothole paving job in Sobrante Park last week because it became “too dangerous” for their workers.
When resident Shari Angarano approached a city project manager for some answers, she was incredulous.
“He basically said the work was on hold and he couldn’t tell me the time frame they would be back because the contractor stopped all work because he felt unsafe,” Angarano told DailyMail.com.
He added: “They were not going to restart the project until the city of Oakland could guarantee them a safe work environment.”
In April, the elderly jewelry store owner crouched in terror behind her counter as eight burly, masked men forced their way in and began smashing display cases with sledgehammers, taking more than 85 percent of her stock.
And residents of one Oakland neighborhood woke up this week to find that the city had removed their traffic lights for good after homeless people repeatedly attacked them for their copper components.
Kaiser, PG&E, Clorox and Blue Shield announced last month that they are investing $10 million of their own cash in additional security measures including private police and ‘buddy escorts’ to accompany workers who don’t feel safe going out to lunch. .
This all comes as shocking images emerged of a long stretch of road in Oakland, which is covered in squalid makeshift homeless tents.
Garbage was strewn around dozens of homes built from discarded wood, tarps and other materials.
CaliBased host Michael Oxford posted the video on May 31 and captioned it: “Some parts of Oakland are worse than a third world country.” They simply allow people to live in abject squalor, wherever they choose.’
CaliBased host Michael Oxford posted a video on May 31 of huge temporary homes built along service roads leading to major roads in Hooverville, Oakland, California’s last district.
Residential burglaries skyrocketed 118 percent in the first four months of 2024, and earlier this year, Oakland suffered a humiliation when In-N-Out Burger closed a store for the first time in the company’s history.
The 400-store chain said its customers and associates were “regularly victims of carjackings, property damage, robberies and armed robberies” at the site less than a half-mile from Fire Mountain Church.
Pastor Ugeh said her congregation had dwindled from 100 to 25 as the incessant attacks had taken their toll.
Documents from his office were scattered across plaster torn from the walls after the latest robbery on Friday night.
Doors were torn from their frames and worshipers were forced to bring their own chairs for services offered by torches and amplified by a karaoke machine powered by a rented generator.
“I feel anger, I feel pain, I feel emptiness and I don’t know how to face my members, I don’t know how to face a congregation,” he said. ‘Hurts.’
‘We arrived this morning for the service and they had vandalized the place even more, tearing out the walls.
‘I don’t understand what they really want, it’s really heartbreaking.
“Members are leaving and I don’t understand, this is supposed to be a church.”
District Attorney Pamela Price has faced similar criticism of Thao, and both lawmakers face upcoming impeachments that could see them removed from office.
Violent crime has spiked in the city since her report was released, including this brutal attack in April on an elderly Chinatown jeweler who cowered in fear as eight masked men vandalized her store with sledgehammers.
The building has suffered more than $300,000 worth of damage, but Ugeh says she is trapped.
‘I would have left, but we own the building, so what should I do?’ she demanded. ‘What do I tell my lenders?’
“The worst part is walking into a church and seeing this graffiti inside the church,” he added.
“Everything is ruined, they destroyed everything.”