Protests over President Donald Trump’s immigration policies have spread to San Francisco, posing a test for new Mayor Daniel Lurie, whose platform promises included taking a tougher stance on crime.
Monday night, police declared an unlawful assembly at about 10 p.m. after thousands of people took to the streets, reports The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday.
San Francisco police met one contingent that refused to disperse and warned that batons, projectiles, and chemical agents would be deployed.
Police also arrested about 150 protesters on Sunday, more than twice what police in Los s had reported.
Lurie, a Levi Strauss heir, ran on the promise to restore the city’s reputation and create a hub for commerce, technology, and culture.
He defeated incumbent London Breed in November, becoming the first mayor since 1911 to be elected despite having no government experience.
Arrest numbers are up in the city since Lurie’s election, and homelessness and crime have declined.
He has remained quiet on the hot-button topics of immigration and transgenderism, and when asked before he was sworn in if he would criticize the Trump administration quipped that “We’ve got enough challenges here.”
When about 400 protesters rallied in downtown San Francisco Sunday, Lurie commented that while everyone has the “right to make their voice heard peacefully,” the city “will never tolerate violent and destructive behavior.”
He also noted on Sunday that a group of protesters remained behind after their demonstration, injuring two police officers and damaging property.
But on Monday, Lurie confirmed that he disagrees with Trump’s immigration policies, but didn’t mention the president’s name.
“I understand why people are out on the street,” he said. “The tactics being used across the country to target immigrant communities are meant to instill fear.”
However, one city official called the police department’s response to Sunday night’s demonstration “highly unusual and very concerning.”
“We have protests all the time, and it’s not met with this level of force. It was absolutely jumping the gun,” Board of Supervisors member Jackie Fielder, a progressive, commented.
The police said that all but one of the people who were arrested were released at the scene.
But District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said protesters who assaulted officers and destroyed property Sunday will face charges.
“San Francisco is a city that understands the will of the people, but we also stand for public safety, and I am the face of that stance,” she said.
Monday’s protests seemed calmer than the ones on Sunday until after most attendees left and a small group marched on toward City Hall.
When some tried to escape, police responded with force, either pushing demonstrators down or firing nonlethal projectiles. Others, however, spray-painted anti-ICE and police slogans, while others shattered storefront windows.
Lurie said on social media that he has spoken with protest organizers and described the event as being mostly calm.
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