Demonstrators marched down Mission Street on Monday, from 24th Street to the Federal Building to mark the 200,000th death by Covid-19, which organizers say is due to the president’s disregard for science.
“The March Against Death, Lies, and Fascism, and For Humanity,” was organized by a collection of local activist groups including Resistance SF and Wall of Many. At least three dozen people participated, many of whom carried prop body bags, signs, or umbrellas marked with the names of those who died from causes related to Covid-19.
Although the exact number of Covid-19 deaths in the United States vary between sources, most agree that the number was surpassed in the past few days or will be surpassed in the next few. The Centers for Disease Control had the total number of deaths at 200,275 as of noon Wednesday.
The group began its march on 24th Street and stopped briefly at 16th Street to stage a “die-in,” where demonstrators lay still on the ground to commemorate the dead.
“I am a [Temporary Protected Status] holder and I believe unity is the only thing that can save us from this fascism,” said Rosa Carranza, a participant in the march.
Carranza, who is originally from El Salvador, said that she was also personally marching because of a legal decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that could eliminate the protected status for residents originating from El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan in 2021 and make them vulnerable to deportation. Carranza said that she fears being deported should President Trump win re-election.
Refuse Fascism’s national website, where the initial call to action was posted, also stated that this march would precede daily demonstrations in October beginning on Oct. 3.
Nothing against the protest, but definitely ironic. People gather in groups and lay down in the street to protest the lack of action taken against a disease that is spread most easily through public gatherings…