During the annual Dolores Park hill bomb skateboarding event in San Francisco on Saturday, riot police arrested 32 adults and 81 minors amid the chaos as several light-rail vehicles were damaged and a rioting mob yelled, “F*** the police!”
(Video Credit: KPIX | CBS NEWS BAY AREA)
The event took place in the Mission District of San Francisco. Hundreds of skateboarders rode their skateboards down Dolores Street in what has become a yearly celebration. It is an unsanctioned, unpermitted event, according to a statement released by police. One that has previously caused substantial damage and taken over whole streets.
Large crowds could be seen cheering the event as children and adults rolled down the hill. As expected, some got hurt, flying off their boards and hitting the pavement. Many got back up and did it again which is all part of the skateboarding subculture.
The gathering began to spin out of control as reported vandalism, illegal fireworks, gunfire, and violence erupted. That’s when riot police in full gear stormed the crowds.
Video footage showed minors vandalizing a light-rail vehicle with graffiti and screaming “F*** the police!” as police closed in and the crowd dispersed.
(Video Credit: Daily Mail)
Other videos and pictures surfaced showing young adults brandishing their skateboards like guns while others jeered and laughed at the police.
Dolores Park Skate hill bomb is a peaceful thing that happens every year. This year included a little girl on a scooter going down the hill with cheers.
Then the cops showed up in riot gear. Make it make sense. This is violence. pic.twitter.com/eyZiw7whit
— it jessi (@ajessilee) July 9, 2023
In the end, multiple firearms, un-ignited fireworks, and narcotics paraphernalia were seized from the crowd.
“This behavior will not be tolerated in our city and I thank our officers for taking action to hold those accountable who brazenly engaged in reckless and dangerous behavior and violated the law. Thankfully, there were no serious injuries,’ San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott tweeted following the event.
This behavior will not be tolerated in our city and I thank our officers for taking action to hold those accountable who brazenly engaged in reckless and dangerous behavior and violated the law. Thankfully, there were no serious injuries. https://t.co/n5RkNP4J7u
— SFPD Chief Scott (@SFPDChief) July 9, 2023
The ruckus was first noted at about 6:15 pm when reports started coming in that fireworks were being set off and vandalism was taking place near Cumberland and Dolores streets.
“Officers responded to the area and assisted residents in accessing their homes because they were afraid for their safety,” the police recounted.
At about 7:10 pm, an officer was helping a resident get into their home when he was approached by a 16-year-old boy who allegedly spat in his face. He tried to detain the boy and a 15-year-old girl jumped in resulting in the officer receiving “lacerations to his face.”
As the two were arrested, the crowd reportedly began to throw ignited fireworks, smoke bombs, glass bottles, and metal cans at officers.
At 7:15 pm, police started telling the crowd to leave since the “unlawful assembly” had begun to turn violent.
Dolores Hill Bomb shut down by SF PD pic.twitter.com/kQ2XAAqax5
— Kyle Martin (@Kyle_Martin35) July 9, 2023
Before the crowds dispersed, more fireworks were reportedly set off in Dolores Park which caused fires to break out and the San Francisco Fire Department was forced to respond.
Twenty minutes after that, police responded to reports of a gunshot at 18th and Church streets, where an occupied MUNI light-rail vehicle was stopped in its tracks due to large crowds. The vehicle was severely damaged as it was totally covered with graffiti and teens crawled on top of it. Another one was vandalized at 17th and Church streets as a mob surrounded it.
Dolores Hill bomb this year.#sanfrancisco@nbcbayarea pic.twitter.com/yVH3qhG3Az
— Denis K (@deniskrylov) July 9, 2023
At approximately 8:12 pm, a gang of 200 skaters reportedly began removing police barricades at 18th and Dolores Streets. A third MUNI light rail vehicle was stopped and vandalized as well, according to police.
At that point, officers conducted a mass arrest at the event. The “Dolores Hill Bomb” is known for such incidents including violence and there was even a fatality in a previous year, according to the Daily Mail.
Leftists decried the actions of the police, calling it “brute force.”
San Francisco Supervisor Dean Preston tweeted, “I’m at a loss to explain this abuse of power, waste of money, and trauma inflicted on our young people. I’m ashamed of our City leadership for this type of militarization of our streets and attack on our youth. People deserve answers.”
The @harveymilkclub is outraged by the large scale show of force by police in military gear against teenagers at Dolores Park, which led to the arrest and mistreatment of 81 juveniles and 32 adults. See statement below. pic.twitter.com/i9y5zQVOzF
— Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club (@harveymilkclub) July 9, 2023
There were protests as well over the arrests.
Rally today in the Mission to protest the SFPD response at the Dolores Hill Bomb yesterday @KPIXtv pic.twitter.com/HHpycc8QtV
— Betty Yu (@bett_yu) July 10, 2023
Went to the protest against the mass arrest of the skate kids yesterday during the Dolores hill bomb yesterday. Had a good size crowd outside the Mission Police Department yelling at the police and standing with the youth brutalized by police. pic.twitter.com/u4ZYMZ2lAf
— Shay Horse (@HuntedHorse) July 10, 2023
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