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News producer fired after tweeting Oakland police should use ‘real bullets’

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A freelance KGO-TV news producer has been fired after saying police should use “real bullets” on protesters demonstrating in Oakland.

Carlos La Roche has deleted his account, @producerlos, since tweeting “Looks like the born losers, er “protestors” will b in #Oakland 2night. Hope OPD uses real bullets. Now let’s get back to this one… #Hoops.” Matthew Keys from the Desk posted a screen grab of the tweet Sunday. (Warning: Post contains objectionable language.)

In response to the tweet, Bay Area-based KGO-TV announced via Twitter that La Roche had been fired.

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“A freelancer sent inappropriate tweets from his personal account that in no way reflect the views of ABC7,” the news station wrote. “This freelancer is no longer associated with the station.”

La Roche declined to talk about the tweet but said it’s been an “incredibly difficult time.”

He spoke to Keys, saying his tweets came out of frustration over the violence in Oakland during protests. He said his tweets were “inexcusable” and don’t reflect his true feelings.

Four protesters were arrested Sunday following a second night of demonstrations over alleged police brutality and a new policy imposed by Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf to control protests.

The plan moves protesters out of the streets and onto sidewalks and shuts down what police consider to be unlawful assemblies.

But Katie Loncke of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship said the crackdown was “the shocking institution of a curfew on free speech.

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Oakland Planning Commissioner Jahmese Myres was handcuffed during a protest Saturday when she was handing out gas masks to demonstrators and police began clearing the streets, KPIX-TV reported.

For breaking news in California, follow @VeronicaRochaLA.

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