
In a display of opposition to the holiday season, a group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators attempted to disrupt Christmas weekend shopping in San Francisco’s Union Square. This incident marks yet another attack on the Christian holiday, viewed by radical leftists as emblematic of complacency among the bourgeois.
Hundreds of protesters flocked to San Francisco’s central shopping district on Saturday, merging with the holiday crowds. Their purpose was to voice their demands for an end to the ongoing hostilities between Hamas and Israel. Additionally, they called for the charges to be dropped against the demonstrators who had previously shut down the Bay Bridge last month.
In the midst of fervent cries for “Palestine’s freedom” and calls for an immediate “cease-fire,” activists proudly displayed yellow placards emblazoned with messages like “No ordinary Christmas amid a genocide” and “DA Jenkins, dismiss all charges against the Bay Bridge 78.” A significant number of the protesters were affiliated with the Party for Socialism and Liberation. Their assembly outside the former Westfield Mall on Market Street coincided with the vibrant hustle and bustle of holiday shopping, just two days before Christmas.
By 1:30 p.m., the protesters successfully blocked Market Street traffic stretching between Powell and Ellis Streets. Half an hour later, they marched down Market Street, eventually encountering law enforcement. The situation escalated, leading to the arrest of one demonstrator. The exact reason for the arrest remains unclear. Subsequently, the protesters continued their march to Union Square, encircling the Christmas tree and ice skating rink.
The “Bay Bridge 78” refers to the 78 individuals who were apprehended for obstructing the San Francisco Bay Bridge during an anti-Israel demonstration last month. As highlighted by Breitbart News, this protest caused temporary disruptions to the transportation of organs for transplant patients awaiting life-saving surgeries.
The Union Square protest represents the latest endeavor by pro-Palestinian activists to disrupt Christmas celebrations nationwide. Previous incidents involved disrupting the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting in New York City and forcing the California state Christmas tree lighting to transition to a virtual format indoors.
This recent demonstration in San Francisco poses yet another challenge for retail shopping in Union Square. The area has already been grappling with the negative impacts of crime and a significant departure of retailers.
To make matters worse, the protesters took it upon themselves to remove ornaments from the Christmas tree in Union Square, leading to its shutdown and potential damage.