An estimated 2,000 people came out for Sunday’s San Francisco March for America in Golden Gate Park.
On Sunday, an estimated 2,000 people came out for the San Francisco March for America. The march, organized by the Richmond District Blog, was an event that invited San Franciscans “to protest the results of our election and march for what we hold dear about our country and the democratic process: the freedom to express ourselves, tolerance, peace, education, safe haven for refugees and immigrants from around the world, equal rights, inclusion, justice, liberty and freedom.”
The peaceful, family-friendly march began on John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park, just behind the de Young Museum. Men, women, children and even dogs streamed in with homemade signs and t-shirts. Each participant was encouraged to wear a #safetypin on their clothing as a symbol of solidarity, support, and safety to those who are scared and upset at this time, a movement that started in the UK after Brexit.
A young marcher with his anti-bullying sign. Photo by Autumn Newman.
The march began with two short speeches from event organizers Sarah Bacon and Brighton Miller.
“The fact that you’re here means that you care about not only our city, but our country and the people that make it what it is. What brings us together today is about more than just one politician – it is something much bigger than any individual person. It’s about resolving to not stand for hate. To not stand for racism. To not stand for misogyny. And to not stand for a President-elect that condones it,” Bacon told the crowd.
“We are on the right side of history and we have come too far as a country to not go backwards. We must not forget that we have won the popular vote, and we must work together to make it known that this election is not a mandate to take away a woman’s right to choose, it is not a mandate to tear families apart, it is not a mandate to deny science, and it is not a mandate to discriminate based on race, religion, or sexuality,” Miller said between bouts of cheering from the crowd.
After the speeches, participants began marching west down JFK Drive towards Ocean Beach. As the march progressed, more and more people joined, swelling the number to almost 2,000 by the time the march reached Transverse Drive.
Chants of “Love Trumps Hate”, “We’re Still Here” and “Not My President!” were heard throughout the march.
The SFPD Richmond District was on hand throughout the event, leading the marchers with a squad car and bringing up the rear, and officers walked amongst the crowd during the hour long march.
As participants passed by the bison paddock, many cheered when the bison gave marchers a rare treat as they galloped around their enclosure. While it may have been a result of it being their feeding time, many took it as a sign of the bisons’ solidarity and support.
The bison in Golden Gate Park galloped through their paddock as marchers passed by. Photo by Randy Wiederhold.
The march concluded with participants crossing the Great Highway at JFK Drive and on to the Ocean Beach promenade.
After one last round of a “Love Trumps Hate!” chant, Bacon thanked the crowd for coming and said, “Never give up, we still have a lot of work to do but this is a great start.”
Photo by Leanne Luce.
One young marcher wears a homemade t-shirt with the Love Trumps Hate slogan on it.
One “doggedly” determined group of marchers
Finishing up with a brief rally on the Ocean Beach promenade.
A group of marchers showing off their signs for the event. Photo by Quimby Margaretten.
More scenes from Love Trumps Hate in Golden Gate Park. Thank you @richmondsfblog, @SFPD, and @GoldenGateNPS! pic.twitter.com/8yMAXnkzug
— Janna (@JKBartleby) November 13, 2016
Representing @NoRedButton at @richmondsfblog March for America. #lovetrumpshate @globalzero pic.twitter.com/Sg5K33wYtv
— Erick (@ErickWillemse) November 14, 2016
Come on down to @richmondsfblog's Love Trumps Hate march in Golden Gate Park! We've got flags! We've got kids! We've got dogs! pic.twitter.com/SJefxaMefK
— Janna (@JKBartleby) November 13, 2016
energized at today's SF for America MarchThanks to organizers: Sarah Bacon and Brighton Miller @richmondsfblog #lovetrumpshate pic.twitter.com/hbIQD07Mjl
— Gilda Harger (@G_elements) November 14, 2016
Just 2,000? Oy vey, Trump clearly won the popular vote by a landslide.
Thank you for organizing. It meant a lot to my family of 4 to come together and publicly express how we feel. Thanks also to the gentleman who brought the giant Flag, looking at that while standing in the crowd at Ocean Beach brought tears to my eyes.
It was great to join this peaceful march. It gave me hope that tolerance and rationality will prevail. I thank you for organizing it.
Thanks! In small significant ways, the majority will be heard.
Stellar photo of the Standing Rock Bison. Kudos to Randy Wiederhold.
While I was not in attendance because I exist in a cocoon, somewhat surprising that the Richmond District Blog is proactive on this. The Blog seems to be mostly about happy things and pretty sunsets.
While Trump is not a happy affair thus far, because we have to endure him, perhaps his rhetoric will cool. That’s what politicians do during campaigns, make a lot of noise. I see small positives, that he’s OK with key parts of Obamacare and will “refocus” (formerly “abolish”) the EPA.
As it turns out, Trump plans/will try to export 2 million criminal illegals, but he and Ryan now say it’s impossible to round up the 10 million illegals. And how about those promised jobs? It looks as if Trump got caught up in the hype.
Too bad smug liberal arrogance doesn’t work in the rest of America. The only hate I ever saw was from the radical left damaging property and attacking people at Trump’s rallies. The days of lawlessness and corruption liberals have created are numbered. Remember you can always go to Canada (if they’ll have you).
Thanks for organizing the march. I’m sorry I couldn’t attend.
Ok. Now what??
It’s an excellent question, @Hillary. Some people have taken to supporting organizations that will work to fight against some of the policies that our President-elect is espousing (e.g. ACLU, Planned Parenthood) etc. We are actively brainstorming on what comes next as well.
It’s a shame that Sarah has turned the Richmond Blog into a platform for a protest against the recent election results. The Richmond Blog had always been a place where those of us living west of Masonic, regardless of our broader political views, could learn about local developments and debate them. Now she has turned the Richmond Blog into one more place those of us with a more moderate political stance feel like outsiders.
I did not vote for Trump. I despise him as much if not more as those who attended the rally. But instead of a “protest” — what are you protesting against? that an election held under rules extending back to the nation’s founding didn’t go your way? — a more useful endeavor would have been some self-reflection on “Why would my fellow countrymen elect a man like Trump, and what can I do differently to see it doesn’t happen again?”
I’m not sure of the answer. But I do know it starts with residents of a city that has managed to get rid of most of its African-American population, which sends its children to private schools in greater proportions than any other city in the country (I know — it’s all about the free-range chicken, not to keep their children away from Not Our Kind, Dearie toddlers), and which routinely dismisses those of us who do not fall into lockstep with the progressive thinking du jour (and I do mean du jour), contemplate how its hypocrisies and meanness gave us President Trump.
Bob Schneider
It is Sarah’s blog and she can do with it what she likes. That said, I agree with you 100%. All the people who are whining about the election results would do well to remember both the literal and the common usage of:
Cassius:
“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.”
Julius Caesar (I, ii, 140-141)
Bob, what was being protested, if I understood the protesters correctly, was not the results of the election per se, but Trump himself. And he should be protested, as should those who follow him and who voted for him.