In Super Bowl City and Beyond, SF Must Affirm that #BlackLivesMatter

As thousands of people from around the country pour into Super Bowl City and the Bay Area, it’s important to remind the city of San Francisco: Black Lives Matter.

There are long-standing and deep-rooted failures in the workings of the SFPD, especially as it interacts with communities of color, and Black people in particular. The horrific police killing of Mario Woods was only one instance of how this city’s racist system of policing continues to target San Franciscans of color and people with disabilities.

In the lead-up to the Super Bowl, we've seen high-tech surveillance cameras go up with zero public input or protections, a Black protestor arrested just for taking photos, and homeless people harassed, displaced, and saddled with unpayable citations.

We envision a San Francisco that's better than that.

As protestors take to the streets this weekend, we urge the City to listen to their voices and respect their rights. Law enforcement should never treat communities like enemies. 

Abdi Soltani is the executive director of the ACLU of Northern California.