The neighborhood outrage over the San Francisco Police Division’s response to an unsanctioned skateboarding occasion over the weekend continues.
Group members packed a Police Fee assembly Wednesday. Police and Mayor London Breed keep that security was their major precedence on the so-called Dolores Park ‘Hill Bomb’ occasion.
However for individuals who lined as much as communicate out on the assembly, together with a number of of the children who had been arrested on Saturday and a few of their dad and mom, they mentioned police overstepped a line.
“Shield our younger folks!” was the rallying cry on the steps of Metropolis Corridor, outdoors from the place the assembly was held. Greater than 80 minors and 30 adults had been arrested on the unofficial Mission District custom.
“We’re calling the Police Fee to have an impartial neighborhood lead investigation,” mentioned Rachel Lederman with Partnership Civil Justice Fund.
Lederman is contemplating submitting a lawsuit on behalf of these detained on the occasion.
Metropolis leaders, together with Mayor Breed, defended the division’s response this morning. She mentioned officers took the required motion to cease the damaging occasion.
“The police did what they felt they needed to do, and I do know there are people who find themselves upset about that, however we now have a accountability to guard the general public,” mentioned Breed. “Vandalism of property, and destruction of property and illegal meeting, and among the different issues that result in this sort of conduct, are issues that we undoubtedly is not going to proceed to tolerate.”
Picture 1 of seven ▼ Photographs of vandalized Muni automobiles from the Dolores ‘Hill Bomb’ unsanctioned skateboarding occasion in San Francisco. (photograph courtesy: SFMTA)
Police mentioned individuals launched fireworks at officers, overran the neighborhood, lower an officer and vandalized Muni vehicles, inflicting greater than $70,000 in injury.
However dozens of fogeys, who lined up for public remark on the Police Fee assembly mentioned the division’s response was overkill.
“The place was the deescalation as everybody has mentioned? I do not know why my youngster was arrested,” mentioned one father or mother who was not recognized.
“He sat on the bottom till 1 a.m. within the morning. They took his telephone. He wasn’t allowed to name me. I did not know the place he was,” mentioned one other involved father or mother.
A number of minors arrested additionally addressed the Fee.
“They by no means informed us why we had been being detained. They simply informed us to take a seat down and shut up,” mentioned an unidentified youth.
“I sat there, as we yelled on the cops. They held a 12-year-old child who was shivering within the chilly as a result of he was stored within the chilly for 5 hours. They did nothing,” mentioned one other teen.
SFPD Chief Invoice Scott, who up to now has defended his officers’ actions, stored his feedback temporary.
“We perceive the frustration. We perceive the questions,” Scott mentioned. Subsequent week SFPD will launch video from the incident. The chief mentioned they may present a “detailed account of all the things that occurred.”
A number of members of the Police Fee are already promising accountability.
“I’m embarrassed for our metropolis. I’m. I’m embarrassed for the actions that this division took to criminalize an exercise that’s an outlet for younger folks,” Fee member Jesus Yanez mentioned. “It’s clear to me that we’d like an inside affairs investigation.”
It’s unclear when the inner investigation may start, however at subsequent week’s Police Fee assembly, we’ll seemingly study extra about what transpired final Saturday.
Chief Scott promised to ship a full report together with body-camera footage on the assembly.
