SAN FRANCISCO – Big sweeps, but few prosecutions in San Francisco.
At this point, law enforcement officials are standing by the strategy of enforcing and tracking down where drug markets move even if they aren’t leading to many prosecutions at this point.
Advertisement
San Francisco’s Police Department has highlighted several high-visibility enforcement efforts, including just over a week ago at the intersection of Market and Van Ness to show the renewed effort to crack down on open-air drug markets and use.
So far no charges
While that sweep resulted in 40 or so arrests, so far no one has been charged.
Advertisement
Law Professor David Levine from UC School of Law San Francisco said police can arrest someone based on probable cause, but prosecutors need to meet the higher bar of beyond a reasonable doubt to win a case.
“There’s a big difference between the standards police use to make an arrest versus what the prosecutors use to initiate a prosecution and ultimately what they need to win a case in front of a jury,” said Levine.
What they’re saying:
Advertisement
San Francisco police issued a statement reading in part, “17 of the arrests at Market and Van Ness were for outstanding warrants that were sent to the appropriate jurisdictions. These efforts have led to better outcomes. Our streets are cleaner and safer where we enforce the law.”
Calling it successful
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins’ office also weighed in, calling the enforcement a success and saying most of those arrested were cited for misdemeanors and will appear in court within the next month or so.
Advertisement
The DA released a statement reading in part, “Successful prosecution and law enforcement requires a robust, collaborative partnership among agencies, and we are committed to working with our partners to offer guidance on what we need to meet our burden of proof.”
Supervisor Matt Dorsey, whose district includes the South of Market, agrees that simply having police disrupt drug markets and use is an important step, and can even be a tool to get drug users into treatment, and impact the demand side of the drug trade.
Advertisement
“The party is over”
“This isn’t about going back to the war on drugs,” said Supervisor Dorsey, “It is about telling people that the party is over. We have to restore public order in San Francisco.”
Legal experts say even without prosecutions, law enforcement may be sending a message.
Advertisement
“Because you’re going to make these criminals at least a little more careful about what they’re doing,” said Levine. “They’re going to be a little bit more discreet about what they’re doing.”
What’s next:
The DA said her office will be meeting with SFPD next week to discuss the recent enforcement, and offer guidance on what her attorneys need to successfully prosecute cases.
Advertisement
San FranciscoSan Francisco Police DepartmentNewsBrooke Jenkins
Tuesday Bicycle Ambassador Training. This online training will get you up to date on what’s going on with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and teach you how to sign up new members. Tuesday, March 31, 5-7 p.m. Sign up here for Zoom link.
Tuesday Lake Merritt Loop Group Ride. Join Bike East Bay for this monthly after-work, slow-paced bike ride. Tuesday, March 31, roll out at 5:30 p.m. from Lake Merritt BART, east side of Oak Street between 8th and 9th Streets, Oakland. Ends at 19th Street BART, 20th Street at Broadway. RSVP here.
Wednesday Cayuga Slow Street Upgrade Open House. SFMTA and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission invite neighbors to share feedback on proposed traffic calming and stormwater infrastructure. Wednesday, April 1, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Excelsior Branch Library, 4400 Mission Street, S.F.
Wednesday Save Bay Area Transit Info Session & Signature Gathering Training. Join SFBike, Connect Bay Area, and Stronger Muni for All to learn about the two transit funding measures that can close the deficit and how you can get involved to support them. Wednesday, April 1, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Rikki’s, 2223 Market Street, S.F. RSVP required.
Friday Woman and Non-Binary Bike S.F. Coffee Club. The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition Coffee Club is a place to meet new people, talk bikes, share tips, and caffeinate. Friday, April 3, 8-9 a.m. Cinderella Bakery, 436 Balboa Street, S.F.
Got an event we should know about? Drop us a line.
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — With the war in Iran about to enter a second month, calls for regime change continue.
“I’m here just to be a voice for the people of Iran. What they want? Free Iran. What they want? To have a normal life, which they can’t have. They are murdered by the Iranian government,” said Mahsa Garakani, Marin County resident.
Hundreds of Iranians from across the Bay Area marched along San Francisco’s Embarcadero on Sunday.
“We’re just echoing what our people want from the inside all our families. A lot of people don’t understand the minimal internet access they have. They are sending us videos telling us what they want, and we’re going to keep doing this every week until they have their freedom,” said Ali Lohrassebi from Pacifica
Advertisement
“We are here to support president’s actions, President Trump and all this administration’s actions on Iran taking strikes on the regime, killing them all and we are asking them to continue this until the regime changes,” said Sayna Ibrahimi, Los Altos Hills resident.
Iran live updates: IDF launches ‘widespread’ strikes in Tehran
And while this group of rallygoers is very much in favor of the war, there is a group of local Iranians with a much different opinion.
“The first thing we would like to see happen is bombs stopping. That’s the first thing. Before that, people are just in survival mode,” said Babak Sani, Oakland resident.
Babak Sani is one of the voices calling for an end to the war…and for the people of Iran to have control over who their next leader is.
Advertisement
“What the war does is it sets back any kind of movement for democracy. It sets back the aspirations of the people. The idea of self-determination is one of the first things that came up right away in our first gathering and it’s been in the heart of our discussions throughout,” Sani, Oakland resident.
Still there are no signs of the war ending soon, The Washington Post is reporting the Pentagon is preparing for weeks of limited ground operations, that could involve raids by special operators.
Axios reporting The White House is also considering deploying up to 10,000 more troops to the region.
San Francisco isn’t letting the rain that’s in the forecast damper residents’ moods.
Here are some of the top events to check out this week in The City.
Daniel Grace at Book Passage (Monday)
Advertisement
The London-born author will stop by Book Passage’s Ferry Building outpost for a reading and signing for his dark literary thriller “In the Wake of Golgotha.” The book reimagines Judas Iscariot and Pontius Pilate in modern-day New York’s crime scene. Grace is also a vintner, and guests will be able to taste one of his red wines, which was made at his vineyard in Italy.
Goran Bregovic and his Wedding and Funeral Orchestra (Monday)
The Bosnian musician is coming to Davies Symphony Hall, where he will be joined by his backing ensemble. The group performs Balkan music with brass players, string instruments and vocals.
Out of This World Showcase (Monday)
Comedian Tony Sparks will take over the Orbit Room with help from a rotating cast of fellow Bay Area talents. Located at 1900 Market Street, the watering hole serves pizzas with draft beers, cocktails, wines and other spirits.
Advertisement
San Francisco’s Next Congress Member? The Candidates Debate (Tuesday)
Supervisor Connie Chan, state Sen. Scott Wiener and progressive activist Saikat Chakrabarti — three candidates vying for San Francisco’s congressional seat — are coming to Sydney Goldstein Theater for a debate hosted by City Arts and Lectures, Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California, Manny’s and KQED. The debate will be moderated by KQED’S Scott Shafer and Sydney Johnson. The candidates will discuss topics including climate policy, immigration and housing and affordability, according to organizers.
State Sen. Scott Wiener, center, progressive-activist Saikat Chakrabarti and Supervisor Connie Chan are among the candidates vying for the congressional seat representing San Francisco.
Advertisement
Ali Wunderman/Special to The Examiner
Tickets for the event, which is being co-presented by City Arts and Lecture, are available online. They range in price from $18 to $36. The debate starts at 7:30 p.m.
An evening with Nathan Bickert and Levi Gillis (Tuesday)
Specs’ Twelve Adler Museum Cafe will host Nathan Bickert, a pianist who plays jazz and soul music, and Levi Gillis, a saxophonist who performs contemporary, classical and folk music.
Advertisement
The show runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and will take place at 12 William Saroyan Place.
Portrait painting (Wednesday)
Ikea will bring participants down to Market Street for an all-ages workshop, where attendees will learn how to paint by creating their own portraits. Materials will be provided, and children must be accompanied by guardians.
Felt collage art workshop (Wednesday)
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts is staging a drop-in workshop at which participants will use felt to explore color, shapes and imagery and make a collage. Materials will be provided, and attendees can take their creations home. Organizers said this edition is inspired by “gather tender night,” Diedrick Brackens’ solo exhibition on view through Aug. 23.
Advertisement
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts provides participants with materials for its drop-in workshops.
Courtesy Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Advertisement
Live Music: France, Pateka, Agnes Martian (Wednesday)
Employees at the 4 Star Theater are bringing an evening of musical performances to the neighborhood. The lineup features the band France, the four-piece experimental-rock group Pateka, and Agnes Martian, an experimental duo.
Artist reception (Thursday)
Caldwell Snyder Gallery will present a solo exhibition for Napa Valley artist Matt Rogers, who specializes in landscapes and floral paintings. An Oakland native, Rogers trained at the San Francisco Art Institute.
Advertisement
New accelerated program adopted to preserve historic and cultural resources in balance with updated zoning rules
With few IPOs and exits, firms have been struggling to send money back to investors and raise new capital from them — but experts see a turnaround coming
Advertisement
Thirteen competitors will perform for a chance to headline the Mission parade and festival
Advertisement
The reception runs from 5 to 7 p.m., with Rogers’ exhibition on view through April 30. The gallery is located at 341 Sutter St.
Advertisement
Downtown First Thursday (Thursday)
Second Street from Market to Howard streets will once again come alive with a free all-ages block party. This month’s edition celebrates Earth Month. Guests will be able to make reusable art at pop-up stations and shop local businesses, and booths set up by the California Academy of Sciences and the Museum of the African Diaspora will also be present. The former will have games and free giveaways, and the latter will host performances by dancer Natalya Janay Schoaf and DJ Kream. DJ Reggie Watts is this month’s headliner, with his set taking place from 7:45 to 9 p.m.
San Francisco Public Library’s main branch will host a traveling exhibition that highlights wood engravings made by artists from six different countries. Sixty items are on display and over 140 works were submitted, according to organizers.
The opening reception runs from 6 to 7:45 p.m. and will take place at 100 Larkin St.
Advertisement
After Dark: Immersed in Verse (Thursday)
At this Exploratorium after-hours event, guests ages 18 and up will be able to listen to readings by local poets and learn how to craft their own verses as part of a freestyle workshop. Other activities invite participants to explore the connection between language and physical movement, as well as a lounge where patrons can write and converse with each other.
Exploratorium patrons will be able to participate in activities such as an exercise in which people explore the connections between language and phyiscal movement.
Advertisement
Courtesy Ida Tietgen Hoeyrup
An evening with Anthony McGill and Gloria Chien (Friday)
Clarinetist McGill will be joined by pianist Chien for a performance at Herbst Theatre. The duo will perform pieces by composers Claude Debussy, Camille Saint-Saens, Andre Messager, Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms.
Dirty Pop! First Fridays (Friday)
Advertisement
Bamboo Hut, a North Beach tiki bar, will host an evening where patrons can dance to pop music hits from the 1990s, 2000s and 2020s. DJs will spin tracks by musical acts such as Rihanna, Paramore, Nsync and Britney Spears.
‘16 x 20’ opening reception (Saturday)
Harman Projects, a contemporary art gallery located at 1275 Minnesota St., will host over 30 artists for an exhibition where all entries have been made on 16-inch-by-20-inch surfaces. The exhibition will be on view through April 25, and the gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The opening reception runs from 5 to 7 p.m.
Launderland Circus (Saturday-Sunday)
Advertisement
The Children’s Creativity Museum will host the touring Launderland Circus, which will present an all-ages show in which a magical laundromat stands up to a greedy boss. Guests will bear witness to aerialists, giant puppets, jugglers and other talents.
Easter Mountain Lake Park 5K (Sunday)
Dolphin South End Runners, The City’s oldest running club, will host 5K and kids races at the west end of the park, near the intersection of 11th Avenue and Lake Street. Adult runners will participate in the first race at 9 a.m., followed by a race for children ages 12 and under that will be a half-mile in length.
Bring Your Own Big Wheel (Sunday)
Residents will flock to Vermont Street in Potrero Hill to watch participants ride down the crooked road on their big-wheel bikes of choice. Children will ride from 2 to 3 p.m., followed by adults riding the course from 3 to 5 p.m. Participants are asked to wear helmets, gloves and pads for their knees and elbows.
Advertisement
The annual Bring Your Own Big Wheel event takes place on Vermont Street in Potrero Hill.