Update, May 31, 8:24 a.m.: Mayor London Breed announced Saturday night that a curfew will begin Sunday at 8 p.m., as several downtown storefronts, including the Westfield mall, were vandalized and looted Saturday night following peaceful protests in San Francisco during the day.
We are implementing a curfew that will start tomorrow at 8pm.
People are hurting right now. They’re angry. I’m angry.
The City and the police will support peaceful protests, as we did all day today.
We can’t tolerate violence and vandalism. Now is the time to go home.
— London Breed (@LondonBreed) May 31, 2020
Original post:
Some 300 protesters, angry over the May 25 in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, made their way into the Mission District Saturday, stopping in front of Mission Station and chanting Floyd’s name, “black lives matter,” and “fuck the police.”
“Rest in peace, fuck the police.” #SanFrancisco pic.twitter.com/npyiCN0Wyb
— Mission Local (@MLNow) May 31, 2020
The George Floyd demonstration had been moving through San Francisco throughout the day, starting downtown, moving toward the Embarcadero, and then heading into the Mission. Protesters remained peaceful in the Mission — a sharp contrast the demonstration in Oakland Friday night that devolved into chaos, fires, and violence. Large displays of discontent, both peaceful and violent, have taken place in many American cities since Floyd’s death Monday.
On Saturday, San Francisco Police were armed with batons, long guns, and tear-gas guns. But, while lined up in front of Mission Station, they remained stoic while protesters, at times, taunted them.
50+ officers lined up in front of the station. Long batons, riot helmets, some armed with assault rifles and tear gas guns. Protesters taunting officers: “Keep takin’ orders b****” pic.twitter.com/J8wINMENBi
— Mission Local (@MLNow) May 31, 2020
After around 40 minutes in front of the station, protesters moved north, stopping at a freeway onramp at 13th and Mission. There, demonstrators tried to walk on the freeway but were barred by a phalanx of officers, who had been waiting. Amassing in large numbers, the protesters briefly blocked traffic on 13th. The scene grew tense as officers advanced in riot gear, but some protesters urged others not to get violent. And it didn’t — at least not near the 13th Street overpass.
“Hands up, down shoot!” #SanFrancisco #GeorgeFloydProtests pic.twitter.com/PskdoxdOXg
— Mission Local (@MLNow) May 31, 2020
Making the scene more surreal was the specter of COVID-19. Though most demonstrators donned masks, no one physically distanced. All the while, many protesters pulled their masks down to shout and chant.
#SanFrancisco #GeorgeFloydProtests pic.twitter.com/30AvKKBKN8
— Mission Local (@MLNow) May 31, 2020
By 8 p.m., the march had passed out of the Mission, though more protests are anticipated throughout the week.
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Cool song
Campers,
All this happened to and fro under my windows @14th & Valencia.
Fortunately, I had a fresh bottle of tequila.
Munched on couple of gummies and smoked a bowl.
Put on ‘Wild in the Streets’ and settled back.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xV2XUTCurvQ
We do indeed live in, ‘interesting times’.
Starting to remind me of the ’60’s.
I’d pass the baton to new generation but I need it for a walking stick.
This new generation has something we did not have.
The internet.
And, the Kryptonite for cops …
Cameras
Cameras
Cameras
Go Niners!~
h.
What does this have to do with SFPD?
Welcome to San Francisco Harry. Though we don’t know of any officer strangling black men, we have had more than enough murders. You may not know this, but the straight up racism and brutality of the SF police was so bad, there were three separate reports (one done “collaboratively” with the USDOJ) which not only documented the abuses but detailed numerous steps the department had to take. Every step was bitterly opposed by the POA (the cop union). Even the most significant step, an rewrite of the “use of force” policy which had laid dormant for 20 years, was opposed by the POA and its central tenant, de-escalation, has been ignored on at least two recent occasions (which is not surprising since the DOJ report documented that the SFPD rarely follows “policy” anyway). Mission Local to its credit has followed the reform process and if you are really interested in finding out the answer to your question, you can easily find out. We had a gutless, former police chief, acting as DA (with an emphasis on “acting”) who never once, not once, brought charges against the cops. What happened in Minneapolis has everything to do not only with the SFPD, but New York, Chicago, LA, etc. etc. where police are not held accountable for frequently and obscenely abusing the power and trust they have been given.
Mission police have a history of violence against people of colour.
How do you decide to use the word “violence” as opposed to “vandalism”?
I don’t think its fair to say protesters are being violent if they aren’t hurting people.
I know CNN and the rest do it too but they’re wrong.
Better to harm neither people nor property and avoid any such confusion