There was signage at Muni stops on Market Street Saturday afternoon warning of a disruption in service because of a "possible protest."
On the walk down Polk Street to Civic Center, we passed from the world of drinking Santas into the finale of an earnest march against racist police brutality throughout the United States.
The march was one of hundreds worldwide which went under the various hashtags: #BlackLivesMatter #ICantBreathe #MillionsMarch.
The San Francisco Police presence was large enough that it almost looked like a Police Pride march...
...rather than a cry of shame at the institutional racism of police departments across the country...
...which has always existed...
...but now everyone with a mobile device is a potential George Holliday, the neighborhood videographer who captured the 1991 Rodney King beating by the LAPD.
Police departments are old fashioned and change is slow. They still haven't adjusted to the new surveillance reality, as evidenced by the recent federal court convictions of SFPD officers who stole for years from drug dealers in Tenderloin hotels while video captured their movements.
May the the kids above live to see a more just world. For more photos from inside the march, click here for Jan Adams' account.
Michael, just wanted to pop in and tell you I always really like your posts and there's something about the way you write that always grabs me... You're so eloquent.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Busy saturday.
ReplyDeleteDear Rachel:
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for those kind words. I really appreciate it.
Dear Chris:
There's even more coming from that Saturday, if you can believe it.