What started as a familiar East Bay sideshow scene ended with a full-blown police sweep on the Bay Bridge, as Oakland officers say they recovered more than 70 ATVs and dirt bikes, along with other vehicles, and made multiple arrests. The Sunday enforcement push, which snarled evening traffic, saw Oakland police working alongside the California Highway Patrol and the San Francisco Police Department to break up a moving takeover.
Officers impounded dozens of machines and halted traffic
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, CHP and Oakland officers intercepted a large group of riders on the bridge last night, stopping dozens of dirt bikes and briefly shutting down all eastbound lanes as riders ditched their machines and bolted on foot. Local television outlets reported that authorities impounded roughly 50 to 60 dirt bikes and ATVs and that Oakland police arrested two people at the scene. The shutdown left drivers stranded on the lower deck for nearly two hours, the Chronicle noted.
OPD frames the haul as part of an ongoing crackdown
A city press release from February said OPD had already identified and seized more than 70 vehicles this year tied to sideshow activity. The department echoed that tougher stance in a post on X about the Bay Bridge operation, publicly thanking CHP and SFPD for helping scoop up the bikes and vehicles.
Today, OPD recovered more than 70 ATVs and dirt bikes, along with vehicles, in connection with sideshow-related incidents and made multiple arrests.
— Oakland Police Dept. (@oaklandpoliceca) May 4, 2026
We thank CHP and SFPD for assisting in these recoveries on the Bay Bridge. pic.twitter.com/FJhSil9Lwv
Targeting promoters and using new tools
Police are not just going after the riders themselves. A seven-month OPD probe recently led to the arrests of alleged sideshow promoters, according to Hoodline. Investigators say they are relying on technology such as the Flock camera system along with CHP air support to follow caravans as they move around the Bay, according to local reporting.
Commuters trapped and an attempted water escape
As officers worked to clear the bridge and tow away the impounded machines, commuters sat in long backups, with frustrated drivers posting videos of the gridlock from the lower deck. CBS News reported that the Oakland Fire Department pulled one person from the water after the individual jumped in while trying to escape officers during the enforcement push.
Impounds, penalties and what comes next
The city warns that vehicles seized during sideshow operations can be held for up to 30 days, and that participants risk criminal charges for reckless driving, evading police or promoting illegal events. In 2025, OPD towed 195 vehicles and arrested 23 people in sideshow-related cases, according to the city’s release, a tally officials now point to as proof that crackdowns like Sunday night’s bridge sweep are here to stay.
