San Francisco

Violence in Virginia Sparks Bay Area Demonstrations

People across the Bay Area on Sunday gathered at a number of rallies and anti-hate demonstrations in response to Saturday's deadly violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Multiple protests took place along city streets in San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose as demonstrators decried the recent rampage and clamored for changes from those leading the nation.

The Warriors showed no signs of rust in their first game in a week as they led wire-to-wire and routed the Jazz in Game 1 Tuesday night.

In San Francisco, demonstrators flocked to a 2 p.m. rally in the Mission District. The protest was billed as an anti-hate, anti-white supremacist and anti-fascist event.

Protesters said the resurgence of hate groups and violence has enticed them to take action.

"I thought this is a time when we have to stand up," Alexandra Saul of San Francisco said. "We have to say something."

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In the South Bay, protesters were already outside San Jose City Hall before lunchtime taking part in an anti-hate demonstration. Soft patriotic music was followed by the loud echoes of megaphones calling for President Trump to condemn racist and facist groups.

Alan Caeser, who grew up in the southern portion of the United States and attended the demonstration in San Francisco, believes that the commander in chief has played a role in tension escalation.

"I definitely think they stirred the pot, and I think Trump was opportunistic in appealing to some of these hate groups," Caeser said.

North in Oakland, protesters stood in solidarity with Charlottesville during a 3:30 p.m. event in the area of 14th Street and Broadway, according to organizers.

Later Sunday, people are slated to attend a candlelight vigil scheduled for 7 p.m. outside city hall in San Jose.

The Bay Area events come on the heels of a white supremacist rally in the Virginia college town. Amid clashes between demonstrators, a car on Saturday rammed into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing a 32-year-old woman and injuring dozens more. 

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