San Francisco’s District Attorney said on Friday that he feels the need to reiterate that hate crimes won’t be tolerated, and undocumented immigrants will be protected.
The declaration is in response to what George Gascon says is an uptick in hate-related incidents across the Bay Area and burgeoning concerns about the safety of immigrant communities after Donald Trump was elected president on Nov. 8.
“The fear in the community is real,” he said.
At the Hall of Justice, Gascon announced a hotline that people can use to report hate crimes.
“This will not be a place where hate will be tolerated without consequences,” Gascon stressed, flanked by members of the San Francisco Police Department, Mayor’s Office and Human Rights Commission.
City police said they haven’t experienced a surge in hate crimes since the election, but did make an arrest on Thursday night after racist graffiti was spray painted in the Bayview district, according to Gascon.
An investigation is also underway after a woman was allegedly grabbed and shoved at Fort Mason and told, “No Latinos here,” Gascon said.
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Leaders of San Francisco, a sanctuary city, are mulling over creating a legal team to defend undocumented immigrants, according to Public Defender Jeff Adachi.
“What I’m proposing is that we hire 30 to 40 attorneys,” he said.
Adachi’s $5 million proposal aims to help people who may face deportation under the Trump administration.
“We have to look at providing this as a basic due process right,” Adachi said. “If a person is going to be deported out of the country, they should have the right to representation.”
To reach the District Attorney's Hate Crime Hotline, call (415) 551-9595. The San Francisco Police Department can be reached at (415) 575-4444 and the Human Rights Commission at (415) 252-2500.
