Berkeley today. Their message for the university. New tonight, some Oakland business owners demanding more action from the city to put an end to violent crime. KTVU is Amber Lee live now in Oakland and Amber, the owners say they may stop paying taxes until the city steps in to help. >> That's right, Julie, merchants tell me they're frustrated and needed to take action. One restaurant owner from the Diamond District is leading the charge. Workers at Seibel's Pizza in Oakland's Diamond District say it's anything but business as usual. >> We're scared of our lives now. Diamond district is not the same as back in the years that I have been working. >> Surveillance video shows manager Nestor Sanchez stopping a man from reaching over the counter to grab the cash register. Sanchez fights back by pulling out a hammer. He says he was prepared since this was the second time someone came in to rob the business. Sanchez says in January, the restaurant was burglarized twice and robbed twice. >> We're really struggling. Sales have dropped 20% and office and off. >> We frustrated, so we're not going to pay taxes to the city until they give us what we want. >> Jose Ortiz owns La Perla restaurant on the same block he started, what he hopes will be a citywide movement where business owners stop paying taxes to Oakland until they receive services, which includes police patrols and cleaner streets. >> Higher tax lawyer that he won't be leading this group in case that the city wants to come after us. >> The owner of Diamond Cafe shared this surveillance video one of four times he says his restaurant was burglarized. He joined Ortiz's movement. >> I feel like we need to start somewhere. I mean, it's ridiculous. It seems like it's getting worse. >> Mayor Shang Tao issued a written statement which says, in part, since the summer of 2023, Oakland's business districts have experienced a reduction in most property crimes. Government at all levels is working for Oaklanders, and I won't stop until every Oaklander feels safe in our city. We have an emergency in the City of Oakland, city Council member Noel Gayo represents the Fruitvale district. He says he plans to work with the city administrator, county and state officials to see what funds are available to help small businesses. >> We need to keep every small business in place. We may need to make some adjustments financially, the manager at Seibel's says the owner is considering whether to join the tax protest. >> I'm not really sure if that's going to work. You know, but I really, really want security. >> City Council member Janani Rama Chandra represents the diamond district. She tells me she's fighting for funding to provide community safety ambassadors and to form a business improvement district. Ortiz says there may be a meeting with the merchants a
