On Monday night, the newly elected mayor of San Francisco, Daniel Lurie, carefully balanced various perspectives regarding the recent protests during a press conference.
Thousands of protesters marched through the streets of San Francisco on Monday night, with the police declaring the gathering illegal around 10 p.m. Some demonstrators who refused to disperse were met with police force, including the threat of the use of chemical agents, batons, and projectiles.
Following the protests against federal immigration policies in Los Angeles, similar demonstrations spread to San Francisco. On Sunday, about 400 protesters gathered downtown to protest the actions taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). After most of the crowd dispersed in the evening, some individuals engaged in violent behavior, resulting in the vandalism of several city buses and shops. The San Francisco police arrested approximately 150 people, more than double the number reported by the Los Angeles police.
Mayor Lurie stated on Sunday night, “Everyone in this country has the right to peacefully voice their opinions, but we will not tolerate violence and destructive behavior.” He emphasized that after the protest ended, a group of protesters remained, damaging property, injuring two police officers, and even a gun was found at the scene.
Lurie won the mayoral election of this liberal city last year with a tough stance on crime. He promised the citizens during his campaign to transform the dysfunctional city into a hub of technology, commerce, and cultural prosperity.
One of his key campaign promises was to take a tougher approach to crime. He defeated the incumbent mayor, London Breed, in November last year, the first time since 1911 that the city’s voters elected a mayor without prior government experience, showing high expectations for him.
Since taking office, San Francisco has seen an increase in arrests, a further reduction in homelessness camps, and nearly a 30% decrease in crime rate in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year.
Unlike many of his predecessors, Lurie rarely mentions President Trump in his speeches or videos, choosing to remain mostly silent on federal government matters. Before his inauguration, when asked if he would criticize the Trump administration like other California Democratic politicians, he stated that he would focus on city affairs, as they faced enough challenges.
However, the recent police responses have surprised at least one city hall official. Jackie Fielder, a member of the city’s oversight committee and a progressive activist, commented, “We often have protest activities, but we have never seen such a strong response before.”
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, known for her tough stance on crime, stated that those who attacked police officers and vandalized property on Sunday night “will definitely be prosecuted.” She emphasized, “San Francisco is a city that understands the will of the people, but we also uphold public safety, and I am the voice of that stance.”
The protests on Monday included demonstrations outside the grand City Hall and in the historic Latinx-populated Mission District.
Compared to Sunday night, the protests on Monday were relatively calm, but after most participants left, the atmosphere shifted. A small group continued marching towards City Hall, where police intercepted them on Market Street.
About a dozen protesters began vandalizing, spray-painting anti-immigrant and anti-police slogans on trash cans, bus stations, and storefronts. Some also smashed the windows of long-standing community stores like Manny’s.
On Monday night, Mayor Lurie posted a video on social media, stating that he had contacted protest organizers and said, “We have arrested those who committed crimes on the streets.” He also shared a photo of himself in the emergency operations center.
Jenkins had previously stated that all on-duty officers had been deployed to several protest sites across the city to protect demonstrators while ensuring that things do not escalate to endanger public safety. She emphasized, “We will not tolerate things getting out of control.”
(This article referenced reporting from The Wall Street Journal)