Mayor London Breed’s election year crackdown on San Francisco’s street sleepers has appalled some of her keenest supporters after video showed the reality on the ground.
The Democrat mayor promised a ‘very aggressive’ clear-up operation after the Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that removing a sleeping equipment from a public space was not unconstitutional.
A multi-agency task force swung into force on Tuesday to dismantle some of the hundreds of tents and temporary shelters that have been tolerated for years in areas racked by crime and drug abuse.
But the sight was too much for some in the liberal city who accused the Mayor of victimizing its most vulnerable people.
‘Shame on you London Breed,’ wrote one. ‘These unhoused people deserve respect and access to safe housing and resources in one of the richest cities in the country. Do better than this cruelty.’
A multi-agency task force swung into force on Tuesday to dismantle some of the hundreds of tents and temporary shelters that have been tolerated for years
San Francisco Mayor London Breed, seen with California Governor Gavin Newsom, has said the city will now be ‘very aggressive and assertive in moving encampments’
California spent $24 billion tackling homelessness in the five years to 2023 but did not track if the money was helping the state’s growing number of unhoused people, a damning report revealed in May.
San Francisco now has around 8,300 people sleeping on the streets, with scenes of homeless drug addicts stumbling on sidewalks and fears of violence becoming a national political issue, after Donald Trump made it part of his campaign platform.
Mayor Breed claimed the Supreme Court had finally given her the power to do something about it.
‘The problem is not going to be solved by building more housing,’ she declared.
‘Thank goodness for the Supreme Court decision.’
But some of the people at the sharp end claimed they had been denied any notice of Tuesday’s action as they watched their tents and belongings thrown into a truck and driven away.
‘They got my clothes,’ Kara Sullivan told the San Francisco Standard. ‘They laughed at me and did a mocking New York accent and acted like they were tough.’
Three homeless people’s belongings were being looked after by Tiffany Tannahill when she was given 15 minutes to get them off the street, claiming the officials would not let her take down her tent.
Footage of a police officer demanding a homeless man ‘calm down’ as his belongings are driven off has infuriated some of the mayor’s supporters
San Francisco currently has around 8,300 people sleeping on the streets
The operation was launched after the Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that removing a sleeping equipment from a public space was not unconstitutional
Many readers were appalled when the video was posted by the liberal SFstandard.com
‘One of the DPW workers started hollering past me, ‘I’m taking everything today,’ she said.
‘They were adamant that there wasn’t going to be enough time to pack up the tent.’
The video shows a police officer demanding a homeless man ‘calm down’ as his tent is snatched from him and taken away.
‘London Breed, the mayor, Governor Gavin Newsom says no more on the streets, no more encampments. No more,’ the officer tells him.
‘This is what it’s come down to. This is our laws. No more.’
The clip prompted many on social media to ask what would become of the people swept from the streets.
‘City doesn’t have shelter beds or treatment beds to offer these people, hardly any,’ wrote Christopher D Cook.
‘Most get nothing and lose their tent and other vital belongings, and their situation is made far worse, more desperate. That is the reality.’
‘So people are aware, these people aren’t refusing shelter or housing,’ wrote SteierMisha.
‘They are forced to sleep on the street, the government is coming to steal their possessions and harass them, no help is being offered or refused.’
‘What happened to decency?’ demanded Cupertino Parks and Recreation Commissioner Claudio Bono.
‘That is inhumane. They have no home and they have NO voice.’
Homeless advocates say that many who are homeless would rather stay outdoors than in shelters, where they risk encountering abuse or threats of violence.
They also claim that people who have pets, work night shifts, need mental health services, or have substance use disorders have a difficult time finding a shelter that will take them.
But many in the city were delighted to see the crackdown underway.
‘They have NO RIGHTS at this point,’ wrote Tim Castleman. ‘None, zero, zip, public nuisance. WE ARE DONE with this.’
‘Years overdue,’ added Erik Pilgrim. ‘Make San Francisco beautiful again!’
The number of tents and shelters belonging to homeless people fell to 360 at the last count in April, down from 610 last summer.
Others were more than happy to see the clearances get underway
Breed, who faces a re-election battle in November, has said she plans to ‘clear them all’.
‘We have had to move from a compassionate city to a city of accountability, and I have been leading the efforts to ensure that we are addressing this issue differently than we have before,’ she said.
‘We are going to be very aggressive and assertive in moving encampments which may even include criminal penalties.
‘We will continue to lead with services, but we also can’t continue to allow people to do what they want on the streets of San Francisco, especially when we have a place for them to go.’
