Christmas shopping came to a halt for about twenty minutes Saturday night at the Westfield Mall on Market Street.
Around 100 demonstrators dressed in black clashed with police.
They were protesting police violence following an officer-involved shooting that killed a teenager in Greece two weeks ago.
The protestors had walked from the Mission District and officers shadowed the group as they entered the mall.
"When we got down here, a large crowd had taken off inside the Westfield Mall. And the people in there caused some damage to the property inside and they were arrested," said Lt. Rich Pate with the San Francisco Police Department.
Mall management says some plants and garbage cans were knocked over.
Police say six people were arrested on a variety of charges including vandalism, malicious mischief and resisting arrest.