SFPD chief says dept. will release bodycam video from Dolores Park skateboarding event
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Wednesday night, dozens took to City Hall, angered after more than a hundred teens and young adults were arrested during a skateboarding event last weekend in San Francisco.
Some say the arrests shouldn't have happened, others are questioning the treatment of those individuals.
"Skateboarding is not a crime!" yelled one man.
One after another.
VIDEO: SFPD chief speaks after officers in tactical gear arrest, cite 100+ people at skateboarding event
"What the hell?" asked another person.
People took to the microphone at the police commission meeting to voice their displeasure over SFPD's response to Saturday night's Hill Bomb, an unpermitted and non-sanctioned skateboard event near Dolores Park.
"We demand answers why there are hundreds of cops in riot gear, in military grade uniforms with batons, waiving batons, drawing guns, rushing at skateboarders," said Jeffrey Quan of the LatinX Democratic Club.
In past years, the event has resulted in major injuries and a death so in preparation this year, officers set up barricades and assigned extra officers to the area. Police say three Muni vehicles were tagged with graffiti during the melee. Police Chief Bill Scott would not get into specifics during the police commission meeting, but previously said that at one point, fireworks were launched at officers, bottles thrown at them, and they were punched and spit on.
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"We cited for brazen dangerous unlawful behavior, a riot basically is what happened out there," said Chief Scott.
But the dozens who first packed the steps outside San Francisco City Hall Wednesday night then filled the police commission room, said the arrests of 32 adults and citations for 81 juveniles was unacceptable.
"The police encroaching on this actually made this event much more dangerous," said Kevin Ortiz of LatinX Democratic Club.
Lisa's son was detained, and says he was going to a friend's house. She's angered by his detainment but also the way he and others were treated.
MORE: Speed bumps installed on Dolores Street in San Francisco after skateboarding injuries
"Zip-tied and they stayed on the street of San Francisco from 8:45 p.m. to about 1 a.m. Some girls peed in their pants. I don't think treating children like animals is the right thing to do."
The police chief did not respond to those allegations or any others during the meeting but says you'll soon see the body camera video.
"Next week, we will release the videos and have a detailed account of everything that happened," said Chief Scott.
There were strong chants Wednesday night outside San Francisco City Hall from these protesters to defund the police. Those chants come as San Francisco police are already understaffed by hundreds of officers.
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