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Sikhs Gather in San Francisco To Cast Vote For Independent State

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Sikhs Gather in San Francisco To Cast Vote For Independent State


Waving bright yellow-and-blue flags, thousands of Sikhs arrived in San Francisco in cars, buses and trains Sunday to vote for a new country of their own.

The vote asks whether the predominantly Sikh state of Punjab in India should break away and form an independent nation called Khalistan.

The Khalistan referendum, as the ballot measure is known, is non-binding, meaning even if the majority of voters favor independence, it won’t guarantee a new nation. But to many of California’s 250,000 Sikhs—most of whom live in the Central Valley or the Bay Area—the vote is about nothing less than freedom and democracy.

It’s a global election, held on various dates in different cities where Sikhs reside. The Jan. 28 ballot in San Francisco follows votes in London, Geneva, Rome, Toronto and Vancouver.

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Proposed by Sikhs for Justice, a U.S.-based group, the referendum was borne out of what Sikhs say is an ongoing history of persecution in India and advocacy for increased religious freedom for the estimated 25 million followers of this 500-year-old religion that fuses elements of Hinduism and Islam as well as other faiths. 

Independence is fiercely opposed by India’s current Hindu nationalist government, which has sought to label the movement as misguided, if not dangerous. California elected officials of Sikh descent and Sikh activists say they have been surveilled and threatened.



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San Francisco, CA

Repeat Racism: Black SF man who found doll with noose around its neck is targeted again

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Repeat Racism: Black SF man who found doll with noose around its neck is targeted again


SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — A frightening new development for the Black Alamo Square man who found a doll with a noose around its neck on his doorstep last month: On Sunday morning, it had happened again, and this time the imagery and slurs accompanying the doll seemed to have escalated.

Dog walker Terry Williams discovered the first doll in a plastic bag the morning of April 26. Accompanying it was a piece of paper with dozens of slurs and racist imagery so bad we couldn’t show it on TV or online.

On Sunday morning, Williams woke up to find another bag. But this time, along with a different colored doll — also in a noose — was a toy grenade and threats if he did not leave the neighborhood.

EXCLUSIVE: Black San Francisco man finds doll with noose around neck at his home

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A San Francisco man is livid after finding a doll with a noose around it’s neck among other things on the doorstep of his Alamo Square home.

“They’re really targeting me. This is reaching another level. It has another picture of me and detail at the bottom what they’re going to do. ‘We’re coming for you,’” Williams said.

Neighbors have since banded together to raise money for Williams in a GoFundMe so he can install new security cameras and move his elderly parents into a temporary home. They’re disappointed that, despite their calls to police last week, this happened again. They’re urging the community to reach out to Supervisor Dean Preston, the SFPD police chief and other city leaders.

“There have been zero updates. We hope, going forward, they can be more transparent and let us know what’s going on and the actions they’re taking to find who did this,” said Katrina Queirolo, Williams’ nextdoor neighbor.

Williams says he is now living in fear and unable to leave his home for extended periods of time.

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MORE: ‘I hate black people’: SJ officer no longer with dept. after exchanging racists texts, chief says

“Nobody is patrolling the block. You’d think they’d be patrolling more. To walk up and do what they did. They don’t have no fear, doing nothing in this neighborhood, it makes you wonder are you really being protected in this neighborhood? They’re not doing anything,” he said.

Williams has been in contact with president of the San Francisco chapter of the NAACP, Amos Brown. Supervisor Dean Person tells ABC7 News in a statement he has known Williams for years and is tracking the case closely with the police chief and local police capitan. Preston calls the incidents “vile harassment and intimidation,” which will not be tolerated.

Williams, Queirolo, and other neighbors are vowing to continue their own investigation, gathering surveillance video from surrounding buildings to aid in the investigation.

If you’re on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live

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Cinco de Mayo festivities on Treasure Island draw from both sides of bay

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Cinco de Mayo festivities on Treasure Island draw from both sides of bay


SAN FRANCISCO — The festive tunes of Mexican mariachi filled the air at Gold Bar Distillery, marking the first-ever Cinco de Mayo celebration in Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay.

Elliott Gillespie, president of Gold Bar Distillery, was excited.

“A lot of our guests asked us to do it. A bunch of them said, ‘Hey, throw a Cinco de Mayo party this year.’ And we said great idea, let’s do it!” 

Gillespie sees this as an opportunity to start new traditions just months into the distillery’s business.

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Dozens of people gathered to enjoy music performed by the talented Mariachi Leyendas de la Bahía. 

“As soon as we start playing music, we see people dancing and singing the songs. It’s fulfilling — it’s priceless,” said mariachi musician Joxan Morales.

Among attendees was Lisette Herrera, who opted for Treasure Island over her usual celebration spot in the Mission District. 

“We’re here having a great time. We have listened to all kinds of music, including rock in Spanish, Banda, and now the mariachi,” Herrera said.

While the festivities thrived in Treasure Island, other parts of the Bay Area faced challenges.

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Videos emerged showing sideshows in Oakland, particularly on 42nd and International. The Oakland Police Department received multiple reports regarding illegal sideshow activity, with dozens of vehicles and spectators involved.

In contrast, the Mission District remained relatively quiet.

The celebration at Gold Bar Distillery continued until at least 7 p.m. Gillespie was bullish on Treasure Island citing its continued growth and scenic assets.

Herrera echoed that enthusiasm.

“Everything in the Bay Area belongs to us and it always has so people should come out to Treasure Island because it belongs to us as well.”

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San Francisco Giants To Call Up Top Pitching Prospect For MLB Debut

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San Francisco Giants To Call Up Top Pitching Prospect For MLB Debut


The final game of the San Francisco Giants’ wraparound four-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies will include a Major League debut.

Right-hander Mason Black joined the Giants in Philadelphia on Sunday and was added to their taxi squad. Later, multiple reports noted that Giants manager Bob Melvin said that Black would make his Major League debut on Monday.

San Francisco will make the move pre-game on Monday. It will require both a 26-man roster and 40-man roster move.

Black is the Giants’ No. 7 prospect per MLB Pipeline and will join a pair of rookies in the rotation in Kyle Harrison and Keaton Winn. He is the third-highest ranked pitcher in the organization behind left-hander Carson Whisenhunt, who is also at Sacramento, and right-hander Hayden Birdsong, who is at Double-A.

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Black started the season with Triple-A Sacramento and is 2-1 with a 1.01 ERA in six starts. He’s allowed just three earned runs in 26.1 innings, with 29 strikeouts and eight walks.

The Scranton, Penn., native went to Lehigh and was the San Francisco’s third-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft. Now 24 years old, he has a 12-14 record and a 3.22 ERA since he started his professional career.

It’s not clear if Black will remain with the team beyond Monday’s start.

San Francisco’s most notable starting pitching injury is Blake Snell, who went on the injured list last month with an adductor muscle injury. The Giants have taken a bullpen game approach to filling Snell’s spot in the rotation. But Black’s performance at Sacramento appears to have warranted at least a look at the Major League level.

Along with Snell, Robbie Ray, Alex Cobb and Tristan Beck are all on the injured list.

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After they’re done in Philadelphia, the Giants head on to Colorado to continue their road trip. If Black gets a second start, it will likely come this weekend at home against the Cincinnati Reds.





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