SAN FRANCISCO—According to Mission Local, a protest was held on Friday, July 15 showing solidarity with teachers in Mexico’s state of Oaxaca. In Oaxaca, thousands of students and teachers have marched against the government in response to controversial education reforms. A news crew was recording the scene of the protest on Valencia Street near the San Francisco Police Department Mission Police Station.
Mission Local spoke to protester Racquel Rodriguez who indicated that people were yelling ‘F*** KTVU.’ She had been marching in the protest which started on 24th Street and then went to 18th and Shotwell Streets to the site were Luis Gongora, a homeless man, was shot and killed by police on April 7.
Rodriguez further indicated that she witnessed the cameraman being “pushed against the crowd by the other man.” “That’s how the fight started. I thought [the two men] were together. I didn’t get it.”
According to police, the protesters confronted the news car and demanded them not to record the protest. The news crew was attacked by the protesters, but there were no reports of any life threatening injuries.
San Francisco News spoke with Sgt. Michael Andraychak, who indicated that “for any media working protests this weekend, you should be advise that there appears to be an element that is hostile towards your crews.”
Officers in the area attempted to separate the people involved and arrested three protesters on the suspicion of battery and resisting arrest.
According to authorities, about 30 to 40 people remained on Valencia Street, where protestors threw garbage into the street and lit the garbage on fire. Officers ordered the crowd to disperse before arresting protesters. The remaining protestors took off running. SFPD Officers used fire extinguishers to put out the fire.
