On the DSA Defund SFPD Now protest on Sept. 9th, one thing very completely different occurred. The police stood down.
As an alternative of cops, the medics and mutual help group known as Queers United In Neighborhood Care got here to the help of the protestors.
An individual fainted and hit their head, and medics from QUICC dealt with the scenario. A San Francisco police instructed the Defund SFPD Now organizer serving as a police liaison that the drive was calling an ambulance.
“That received’t be obligatory,” she responded. They mentioned they needed to, however later cancelled the order. The police really let a neighborhood group deal with the issue.
Think about if that second marks the start of the tip of calling cops after we need assistance. Organizations like QUICC and different medic collectives are popping up in all places to supply help “that facilities oppressed lives and voices.”
QUICC stands in partnership with Black Lives Matter and their acknowledged purpose is “to create a extra truthful, loving world.” They’re primarily based in Oakland and have helped folks tear-gassed and shot by police, and went to Portland to assist the protesters there. You can learn more here.
The well-organized and exuberant march organized by AfroSocialists and DSA Justice, began at Mission Excessive Faculty. The March was conceived as a nod to the motion that was organized by No Justice, No Peace high-schoolers, which drew a crowd of greater than 10,000 folks again in June.
Organizers additionally made positive there was no want for site visitors cops both, because the folks’s personal motorcyclists blocked off the streets and directed site visitors so the marchers might observe their designated route with out police interference. This Bike Protest Help Unit actually ran circles across the police.
Because the marchers moved via the neighborhood carrying indicators and chanting “Whose Streets? Our Streets!” and “DEFUND SFPD NOW,” they undoubtedly caught Supervisor Rafael Mandelman abruptly as he was eating on Valencia Road. (He didn’t rise up and be part of the march. Supervisors Hillary Ronen, Shamann Walton, Matt Haney, and Dean Preston had been sighted on the June actions.)
The one service authorities officers want to supply proper now could be to help in a peaceable transition from a militarized police state into autonomous, compassionate communities that pool their cash and assets to create nice housing, training, significant and well-paid work, and healthcare, particularly for psychological well being and dependancy. When communities have these methods in place, then we remove the causes of crime and struggling and delinquent conduct.
If you wish to know what it seems wish to don’t have any police, simply take a drive to Pacific Heights, a well-funded neighborhood that is aware of cops will solely come when known as—they don’t have cops prowling the streets in search of folks to harass, not like the residents of different neighborhoods just like the Bayview.
We’re achieved with dwelling in a continuing state of intimidation to maintain working folks, immigrants, ladies, Black and indigenous folks of colour, queer folks, poor and unhoused folks beneath the thumb of a heartless system in order that the wealthy get richer. We’re starting to see what San Francisco can appear to be with out the SFPD.
