About four dozen people marched down San Francisco’s Market Street on Thursday night, protesting police brutality two days after officers shot and wounded a man between Fourth and Fifth streets.
Defund SFPD Now, a group that seeks alternatives to policing and wants the city’s Board of Supervisors to cut the Police Department’s budget, organized the march. Near the scene of Tuesday’s shooting — in which officers fired beanbag rounds, Tasers and bullets — the protesters held a moment of silence for the injured man, 26, who has not been identified by police.
“The police escalated. They approached aggressively and they made this situation more dangerous for everybody involved — including the victim,” organizer Alex Kareem told the group, speaking into a megaphone as police gathered on the north side of Market Street away from the group.
The group marched west down Market, chanting, “How do you spell murder? S-F-P-D!” They paused to face the line of police on the sidewalk and chanted, “No good cops in a racist system!” The officers, in regular uniforms, stood in silence.
The group turned onto Turk Street and marched through the Tenderloin. Police marched alongside them. Some protesters handed masks to unhoused people as the group chanted, “POA! Shut it down!” referring to the Police Officers Association.
At Jones and Turk streets, a line of officers in riot gear stood behind metal barriers. “Why are you in riot gear? We don’t see no riot here!” the group called. “Quit your job!”
On Tuesday, authorities said they responded to a report of a knife fight at Fifth and Market streets. When officers arrived, they found one man “brandishing a knife,” spokesman Officer Robert Rueca said, shortly after the shooting. He said officers deployed “less lethal” weapons before opening fire with their service weapons.
Video captured by a witness from across the street shows a man quickly walking sideways before two officers open fire. The man collapses near a parked car but tries to get up. Two officers repeatedly yell: “Drop the knife,” and aim their weapons at the man sprawled but moving on the sidewalk. Two more officers approach. A siren drowns out what the officers say. At least a dozen more swarm in and fire more shots.
A voice says: “Why are they running? The guy’s on the ground.” An officer yells: “Drop the knife so we can help you!”
At Turk and Jones streets on Thursday, the protesters gave speeches. “As for the Police Officers Association — we must remember that they are not a union!” veteran activist Maria Cristina Gutierrez said, pointing at the police. “These pieces of garbage are not workers — they are here to defend the rich and the powerful!”
Suddenly, an officer collapsed, eliciting laughs from the protesters.
“Piggy down!” one shouted.
Officers helped the man up and led him away. After about an hour, the group marched back to Market Street and dispersed.
Michael Williams is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: michael.williams@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @michaeldamianw
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