Once and future mayoral candidate Ellen Lee Zhou’s noontime City Hall pro-Trump, pro-wall rally — for the immigrants — was attended by a crowd of, say, four people which, at times, dipped to two and, at others, rose to six.
Passers-by gaped and laughed at the oddity of a pro-Trump rally in the heart of San Francisco, as well as the jarring sight of a dozen demonstrators demonstrating in front of a far smaller number of demonstration-watchers. The crowd of two-to-six included at least one reporter and several men or women recording the event who were, potentially, adjuncts of the demonstrators.
The handful of demonstrators skewed largely older and Asian.
Zhou, a declared 2019 mayoral candidate, received not quite 4 percent of the vote in June 2018. Erstwhile Republican mayoral hopeful Richie Greenberg, who polled at 2.8 percent in June, also appeared on the City Hall steps, where he assumed the role of designated shusher of the two observers who felt inclined to argue with the demonstrators.
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me. – Martin Niemoller
A few thoughts…
— I loathe Trump and everything he stands for.
— I applaud Americans exercising their right to free speech and assembly.
— It takes courage to express your beliefs without a throng to back you up. In a city with a history of support for minority populations, we should respect that courage.
— However few people were there to represent Trump and his deplorable mindset, the response was smaller, and save for a few, consisted of laughter, rather than thoughtful engagement.
— Sadly, G-SSF is absolutely right about the MAGA plans for these Asian demonstrotors, which is exactly why we progressives failed our vulnerable neighbors by not engaging with them thoughtfully and respectfully, save a small(er) few.
— I loathe Trump and everything he stands for.
Although I detest this Der Führer/Il Duce Wannabe Herr Drumpf, his entire grifter family past and present, and all of the spineless Republicratic Party Drumpf supporters, there are obviously up to 12 people demonstrating by holding some sign of sort the photos you chose to print. Why do you continue to deny that apparent fact – that, once again, is demonstrated in 2 photos you chose to print? Maybe this is why the self-righteousness, intolerance and condescension of many in San Francisco is such nationwide fodder for miscreants like Drumpf et al?
Dear sir —
Please note the following passage from the extremely brief story: “Passers-by gaped and laughed at the oddity of a pro-Trump rally in the heart of San Francisco, as well as the jarring sight of a dozen demonstrators demonstrating in front of a far smaller number of demonstration-watchers.”
It helps to read the stories before you comment on the stories.
Best,
JE
i think I saw them out there today and I had an encounter with one as well. I was just leaving Yoga with my partner during lunch – they work down the street from where this occurred. Luckily, they did let notice that I am a trans, vegan, immigrant, woman, but they did notice my darker skin. They said “this is MAGA country!” And told me to go back to my home country and that “walls work”.
Mr. Eskenazi, it’s interesting that you bothered to write about a fizzled rally on the steps of City Hall.
I don’t recall seeing an article from you on the Walk for Life West Coast in January. About 70,000 people packed City Hall Plaza before marching down Market Street in a tightly packed crowd that stretched for a mile and a half.
You really could have gathered some interesting stories and gotten some great photos. So many women… well more than half the crowd. So many college and high school students. Really inspiring stuff. Much more compelling than your story.
I’ll look for you at the Walk for Life next January, but it might be difficult to meet up, given the enormous crowd.
But there’ way more than 4-6 in the photo…
Not sure what photo you’re looking at, but there are four people watching the demonstrators. There’s a woman in the background about 15 yards away walking into City Hall. And, you can’t see it, but a couple was taking wedding photos on the other side.
So, no, there were not more than two-to-six people there.
Unless, of course, this is a humorous reference to the inauguration.
JE
Well I thought the same thing. In the top photo there are 5 people standing at the base of the steps. Behind them are another 8 people – presumably candidate Ellen Lee Zhou & susher Richie Greenberg, and another six people holding up the 2 big banners in the back. Still not a large crowd tho.
It is hard by looking at the pic, who is protesting and who is a bystander. The top pic which shows the women with the bullhorn and the guy with white hair
Dear sir —
I don’t think it’s very hard at all. There were a dozen demonstrators and two-to-six people watching. The people with signs and bullhorns standing on the steps are demonstrators. The observers are on the sidewalk. That’s how demonstrations on City Hall’s steps work.
Note the following passage in the article: “Passers-by gaped and laughed at the oddity of a pro-Trump rally in the heart of San Francisco, as well as the jarring sight of a dozen demonstrators demonstrating in front of a far smaller number of demonstration-watchers.”
I don’t think this was a hard story to decipher, and regardless, this was a small gathering. But, just in case anyone was honestly confused by the headline, I’ve changed it to note, very clearly, that four people showed to watch the rally, not that four people were part of the rally itself, which was composed of 12 or 13 people.
Best,
JE
I’m no Trump supporter, but there are clearly at least sixteen people there. Not exactly huge, but why lie about the numbers? It makes the left no different to the right.
Hey there —
As noted in the story, there are a dozen demonstrators and two-to-six observers.
It helps to read the story.
Best,
JE
I think walczyk’s confusion (which I had to) is that the headline makes it sound like only 4 people are participating in the rally itself. Whereas based on the photo and your clarification, I presume the headline means that 4 people came to watch the rally, which itself consisted of 10-15 people?
Typically, if I were to hear “100 people showed up for the rally”, I’d assume those 100 people are part of the rally, not merely spectating it. Anyway, seems like a question of semantics. Thanks for covering.
There are 13 people standing on the stairs holding pro Trump signs. Why state that there are 4-6 people then post a pic with a dozen people.
Nobody measures a protest size by the crowd that comes to WATCH. They measure it by the number participating in the protest.
I too am confused by the 2-6 people claim. The three photos by Abraham Rodriguez show a larger crowd; the first one in the article shows at least 14 people, and 12 of them are holding some kind of pro-wall or pro-Zhou sign (the larger signs are held by more than one person).
In the second photo the one with Vargas) I count 12 on the steps, including Zhou.
The third photo is a close-up of the crowd and it shows 5 people holding the same signs as the other two photos.
Mr Eskenazi, please clarify your reporting. Yes, the demonstration was humorously puny, but I really don’t understand how you can so egregiously miscount the crowd of people who showed up for the rally.
Hey there. As noted before, two-to-six people showed up to watch 12 or 13 demonstrators. This was reported within in the article.
I have changed the headline to stave off confusion for people who can’t be bothered to read articles but still comment on them.
Best,
JE
I wish I had known that this was going to happen. I would’ve been there to support it. I live & work in the city, & I proudly wear my MAGA hat everywhere I go.
MAGA hat = Brown Shirt = Klan Hood
Hey, Danny, we progressives support your right to express yourself. You’re not the “Enemy of the people,” you’re simply a misguided dupe.
They will come for you, you can bet on it.
You are and always will be outnumbered and detested here, Mr. Womack. As you should be.
The pro-wall demonstrators, at least the ones that were of Asian descent, know that the MAGA people are coming for them next, right?
I work in the area and while walking during my break this guy came up stopped in front of me and said “We need to build a wall to deport you and all your f***ing people” I was taken back by hateful act and just thought it was random but knowing a block away there was a pro trump and pro wall rally it all makes sense.
The obvious question is where did they find 4 Trump supporters in San Francisco? Did they bus them in from the Central Valley?
Over 34 thousand voters voted for Donald Trump in the last election in San Francisco