The Mayor of San Francisco hid from his constituents today. In a shameful act of cowardice and disrespect, Ed Lee was not home when a thousand people marched up to his office building (i.e., San Francisco City Hall) with the #Frisco5 Hunger Strikers who had asked to meet with the Mayor. He knew they were coming days in advance. He knew they wanted to meet with him.
But after the hunger strikers, in wheelchairs after thirteen days without food, had been carried up to the Mayor's office (because the handicapped lift just "happened" to not be working) they were told that "Ed Lee is in Bayview." (a section of San Francisco a few miles south of City Hall).
Where WAS the Mayor?
Five hunger strikers in wheelchairs and hundreds of their supporters crossed San Francisco on Tuesday, from the Mission Police Station to City Hall, to reiterate their demand that Mayor Ed Lee fire Police Chief Greg Suhr or resign.
About 60 protesters made their way into City Hall and to the mayor's office about 3 p.m. Tuesday and were told by a representative of the mayor that he was in the Bayview.
One protester answered that the Bayview was only 10 minutes away and that the mayor should come talk to them. Coincidentally, the mayor sent a tweet at the same time the protesters were demanding his attention reading: "Met w merchants on 3rd St in the Bayview to discuss how City can support small business #DreamSmallBiz."
The Mayor could have appeared, well, mayoral, and met with the hunger strikers. Even if, as he has repeatedly claimed, he will never honor their demand to fire the Chief of Police. Instead he slunk away.
The day started as about five hundred people gathered in the Mission District, at the site of the hunger strike outside the Mission Police Station. After a rally, the hunger strikers assembled in wheel chairs and led the approximately one mile march up to Civic Center plaza and City Hall.
By the time the march arrived more people had gathered - all told there were close to a thousand people assembled on and near the steps of San Francisco City Hall. The hunger strikers then made their way up the access ramp and into the building to pay a visit to a man who wasn't, and clearly didn't want to be, there.
If the Mayor, by not being seen, wanted the hunger strikers and their story to be diminished, he did not succeed. It is now getting national attention, as illustrated by this article in Newsweek.
...Over the past three years, SFPD has been criticized for killing a number of black and Latino men... In March 2015, racist and homophobic texts shared among SFPD officers surfaced.. [Public Defender] Adachi said the texts reveal a deep culture of bias inside the police force serving a city famous for its liberalism and tolerance. As Adachi put it: "It can no longer be said to be an isolated problem."
With the Mayor miles away, the hunger strikers and those who had accompanied them into City Hall decided to pay a visit to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting, demanding some kind of action from them.
At least the Board was there, if only physically. The hunger strikers were met with milquetoast responses and protestations that the Board was powerless in these matters. (And while it is true that the Board cannot fire the Chief, it is not beyond the powers of the Board to pass a vote of no confidence, or to enact ordinances restricting use of force by police who seem to have, or at least believe they have, no restrictions).
Hours later, the Mayor AWOL, the hunger strikers reassembled on the steps of City Hall and vowed to continue the fight.
More tweetpics of today's action.
Before the march, in front of the Mission Police Station:
Previous diaries covering the hunger strike:
There’s a Hunger Strike Going on now in San Francisco Against Police Violence.
One Week In There Is STILL a Hunger Strike in San Francisco Against Police Violence.
And on the 10th Day… They Spoke. They Drummed. They Rallied. But They did not Eat.
The #Frisco5 Hunger Strikers and Supports March to City Hall Today at 12:30 PM.
---—
48Hills article on yesterday’s events.