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San Francisco’s mayor London Breed blasts liberal board of supervisors for passing a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza that ‘did not reflect our values’

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San Francisco’s mayor London Breed blasts liberal board of supervisors for passing a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza that ‘did not reflect our values’


San Francisco Mayor London Breed made the rare move of condemning the city’s Board of Supervisors after it passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

Over the weekend, Breed, a Democrat, said the board’s 8-3 vote in favor of the resolution last week does not represent the city’s beliefs or values, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Proposed by Supervisor Dean Preston, the resolution called for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza and the release of all hostages.

Preston, who is Jewish, was supported by hundreds of pro-Palestinian members of the public, who supported the effort to get the resolution over the finish line.

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In a statement on Saturday afternoon, Breed said: ‘Like my recent predecessors in this office, I almost never comment or take action on nonbinding resolutions from the Board of Supervisors.’

Mayor London Breed came out against the resolution, saying it did not reflect the values or beliefs of the city

‘This one warrants an exception,’ she continued.

‘What happened at the Board of Supervisors during this last month did not reflect our values. While I support the need for community members to be heard, the process at the Board only inflamed division and hurt.’

Breed, who governs a famously progressive city, said she felt compelled to condemn the resolution after receiving a note from her counterpart in Haifa – San Francisco’s longtime sister city.

Haifa Mayor Einat Kalisch-Rotem, with whom Breed met last year during a trip to Israel to celebrate 50 years of the city’s sister relationship, expressed ‘pain and confusion’ following the passage of the resolution.

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Breed said the letter illustrated ‘the impact that our actions have, and the consideration required when taking up complex matters over which we have absolutely no jurisdiction.’

The mayor said she now wants to meet with her counterpart over zoom to walk back the actions of the board and ‘explain that what happened at the hearing and with the resolution in no way reflects the official view of the entire city of San Francisco – but, again, that of eight members of the Board of Supervisors.’

‘My hope is that as we move forward, the public recognizes that the one body does not reflect an entire city,’ Breed said.

Breed also took aim at the process surrounding the resolution’s passage. She said during the discussion and comments period, people were ‘verbally attacked and degraded.’

Three supervisors, Matt Dorsey, Rafael Mandelman and Catherine Stefani ultimately voted against the resolution, despite working to amend it.

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Board Supervisor Dean Preston, who is Jewish, introduced the resolution late last year with the support of many pro-Palestinian activists

Board Supervisor Dean Preston, who is Jewish, introduced the resolution late last year with the support of many pro-Palestinian activists

The Democratic socialist thanked the supporters of the resolution earlier this week for being tenacious with their advocacy

The Democratic socialist thanked the supporters of the resolution earlier this week for being tenacious with their advocacy

Preston, a Democratic socialist, said he was disappointed in the mayor’s condemnation of the resolution, which he says he introduced at the request of his constituents.

‘Whatever the Mayor’s position is on calling for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and humanitarian aid into Gaza, it is disappointing that she would dismiss the voices of thousands of our constituents — mine and the mayor’s — many of whom came out to City Hall to support our resolution and are out marching for peace as we speak,’ Preston, whose family fled the Holocaust, said in a statement.

Preston’s initial version of the resolution, which was supported by hundreds of pro-Palestinian protestors who crowded City Hall in December, was overhauled by Board President Aaron Peskin, who attempted to write a resolution with wider appeal.

The final version condemned anti-Semitism, as well as Islamophobia and other sorts of discrimination. Peskin also added a section that condemned Hamas terrorists’ killing of Israeli citizens, and the deaths of Palestinian civilians.

Dorsey – who did not ultimately vote in favor of the resolution – also attempted to add a section that called for the surrender of Hamas and introduce an endorsement for a two-state solution. 

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He also wanted to make reference to a New York Times investigation that detailed the rape and other forms of extreme physical brutality Palestinian terrorists used against women on October 7.

The Demcorat mayor of the progressive city has taken several steps recently that undermine the far-left direction of parts of the city's bureaucracy

The Demcorat mayor of the progressive city has taken several steps recently that undermine the far-left direction of parts of the city’s bureaucracy

Breed’s sharp condemnation of the Board’s resolution comes just days after it was reported that the mayor would be backing away from San Francisco’s plans for a designated office of reparations – a concept the progressive city has long hoped to explore.

Mayor London Breed quietly withdrew $4 million in funding to establish an Office of Reparations as she struggles to balance a massive budget deficit in the city. The decision sparked frustration among activists who are pursuing cash payments of up to $5 million for the city’s black residents.

In a letter to department heads, Breed wrote: ‘The reductions leave intact basic City services and priorities so we can continue making progress on hiring police officers, expanding shelter beds, advancing behavioral health initiatives, and cleaning up our streets.’

The decision came after the city’s African American Reparations Advisory Committee published a draft plan last March with recommendations including millions of dollars in cash payments. 

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Other parts of the proposal include the creation of an Afrocentric K-12 School.

A spokesman for Breed also said ‘opening a separate office is not an efficient use of funds’ and told SFGate that ‘the Mayor does not believe we need a new bureaucracy to implement programs to benefit the African American community.’

Shamann Walton, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, said it was ‘disheartening’, adding: ‘I understand the importance of no cuts to existing programs, but the Black community will continue to pursue justice and equity through reparations here in San Francisco.

‘My hope is that the city’s deficit is eliminated quickly so that we can fund the Office of Reparations and fulfill the commitment made to address the historical injustices and inequities that have persisted for generations for Black San Franciscans.’



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4 arrested, 3 cited after brawl following Giants vs. Rockies game at Oracle Park

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4 arrested, 3 cited after brawl following Giants vs. Rockies game at Oracle Park


Four people were arrested and three others were cited following a fight that took place following a San Francisco Giants game at Oracle Park Thursday night.

According to San Francisco police, the fight broke out at 9:46 p.m., after the matchup between the Giants and Colorado Rockies in which San Francisco won 8-2. Officers working at the ballpark responded and detained seven people who were involved.

A preliminary investigation by police determined that the altercation was result of a verbal dispute that turned physical.

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Officers said they developed probable cause to place four people under arrest. Police identified those arrested as 29-year-old Major Norton of Suisun City, 21-year-old Jaylynn Del Toro of Fresno, 23-year-old Elijah Ortega- Garcia of Selma in Fresno County and 26-year-old Gisselle Lopez of Vallejo.

All four were booked into San Francisco County Jail on suspicion of disturbing the peace and public intoxication. Norton was also booked on suspicion of assault likely to produce great bodily injury.

Three people were cited for disturbing the peace and released. Police did not provide additional details about the fight.

In a statement to CBS News Bay Area, a Giants spokesperson said the incident “was a horrible and intolerable display of behavior.”

“SFPD made multiple arrests and those involved will be banned from the park,” the team added.

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The Giants are in the middle of a four-game series with the Rockies, which concludes on Sunday. Both teams are at the bottom of the National League West standings heading into next week’s All-Star break.



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Classical music series helps reconnect downtown San Francisco community

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Classical music series helps reconnect downtown San Francisco community


Coffee, croissants and classical music brought office workers, residents and visitors together at One Sansome as the free monthly Baroque & Brew series transformed a weekday morning into a community gathering in downtown San Francisco.

The event, held inside the Conservatory at One Sansome, featured live performances by Philharmonia Baroque and invited attendees to enjoy music in the landmark building’s 8,100-square-foot atrium. 

Guests were free to sit or stand while listening, with many nearby office workers stopping in during an early lunch break.

The monthly series is scheduled to return in August and September and aims to bring together downtown workers and neighbors through music and shared public space.

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“It’s a beautiful opportunity to have coffee, to be in community, and do what our city is known for—the art, the culture—and to share it with each other,” attendee Roger Joyner said. “It’s a beautiful summertime moment.”

Joyner said events like Baroque & Brew reflect the character of the city.

“I think that’s what San Francisco is meant to be…a city that offers culture and the beauty of art to the world. And we that live here get to enjoy it,” he said.

Organizers said the performances are intended to make live classical music more accessible while contributing to ongoing efforts to revitalize downtown San Francisco.

“It’s just a really nice way for us to get the music out of the concert hall to the people downtown, trying to reactivate Downtown San Francisco and show what a welcoming place we can be as a city,” said Isaac Bunch, general manager of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale.

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For Joyner, the event also offered a chance to pause amid the pace of daily life.

“We get to take a break. We are hustle and bustle, doing what we do to make the city work, and then we get refreshed by it,” he said. “I think it’s great — it brings it right into the middle of our hub.”

The gathering highlighted how music, conversation and public spaces can bring people together as downtown San Francisco continues its recovery.



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San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie Blocks Vacant Grocery Store Tax Proposal | KQED

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San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie Blocks Vacant Grocery Store Tax Proposal | KQED


The Affordable Groceries Act aimed to increase access to grocery stores and pharmacy chains by taxing empty storefronts and establishing a fund to subsidize groceries.

A view down an aisle at a Safeway supermarket in Walnut Creek, California, on July 22, 2025. Mahmood, who represents the Tenderloin, claims that Lurie stepped in to swat down the grocery store tax proposal because Amazon, which owns Whole Foods Market, had been “lobbying intensely” against the proposal at City Hall for weeks.  (Smith Collection/Gado via Getty Images)

“They don’t like taxes on corporations. It’s just philosophical. But the unprecedented part is that yesterday, I got a call that they are going to actively oppose this,” Mahmood said of the Lurie administration. “The only conclusion I can draw is this comes from pressure that Amazon built.”

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Mahmood, who represents the Tenderloin, claims that Lurie stepped in to swat down the grocery store tax proposal because Amazon, which owns Whole Foods Market, had been “lobbying intensely” against the proposal at City Hall for weeks.

According to Mahmood, Amazon lobbyists requested an exemption to the legislation for the company’s shuttered Whole Foods storefront on Market Street. Mahmood declined the request.

Supervisor Bilal Mahmood speaks during a rally for survivors of sexual assault and harassment at San Francisco City Hall in San Francisco on July 7, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)

“They said, if you do this, we will campaign against it,” Mahmood told KQED. “The explicit words from their lobbyists were, we just spent $250,000 against Prop D. We could probably do the same here again.”

Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Proposition D, known as the Overpaid CEO Tax, appeared on the June primary ballot and aimed to tax major corporations to fill the city’s budget gaps. Opponents, including moderate political pressure groups and tech leaders, spent millions of dollars to defeat it. Lurie also urged a “no” vote. It ultimately failed to pass.

The closure of grocery stores and pharmacies has factored into affordability challenges in the city.

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Nearly a third of San Franciscans living below the poverty line are food insecure, according to a 2024 report by the city’s Food Security Task Force, and nearly 110,000 residents utilize CalFresh, a food benefits program that the Trump administration has made qualifying for more difficult.

But Lurie has said Mahmood’s plan won’t help fill the city’s many empty grocery stores.

“Mayor Lurie is working to bring grocery stories to San Francisco’s communities. More taxes won’t achieve that,” said Charles Lukvak, the mayor’s spokesperson. “We support the Affordable Grocery Fund and will continue working with Supervisor Mahmood and the entire Board to bring more grocery stores to the city.”

Taxes collected on the vacant storefront proposal could have gone toward a new affordable grocery fund, which would also accept private donations if both measures passed. The fund would be intended for a variety of different affordability programs focused on healthy food.

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Mahmood said Lurie urged Supervisor Connie Chan to cut the item from the upcoming Budget and Finance Committee agenda, striking its chances of going on the ballot this November.

A spokesperson for Chan said she supports the intent of the legislation but that it required more work and was not ready to go before the board or voters.

San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman speaks at a press event in front of San Francisco City Hall on Oct. 29, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)

“Budget Chair Connie Chan agrees with Supervisor Mahmood’s intent for this measure — we need more neighborhood grocery stores — but she also understands that much work needs to be done to this measure to deliver that intent,” said Robyn Burke, Chan’s spokesperson. “Supervisor Mahmood has amendments he wants to make to his legislation that he is still working on.”

Mahmood said he had support from Supervisors Chyanne Chen, Danny Sauter, Stephen Sherrill and Myrna Melgar for the proposal.

He has a final Hail Mary he is holding out for that could allow the proposal to move forward after a motion next Tuesday, if Board President Rafael Mandelman steps in to initiate a vote. Mandelman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“When a proposal to make groceries more affordable gets pulled from the agenda before the public even gets to weigh in, that’s a problem no matter who asked for it,” Mahmood said. “San Franciscans deserve an up-or-down vote, in public, from their elected leaders.”

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