Leaders from the Bay Area's Black and Asian communities gathered with the San Francisco district attorney on Wednesday to denounce hate and violence in the wake of three race-related mass shootings nationwide.
The show of unity and solidarity took place outside San Francisco City Hall. Organizers highlighted diverse groups coming together, promoted an anti-hate message, and spoke out against gun violence.
"My heart goes out to all the families and victims of the violence that happened most recently in Buffalo, New York," San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Shamann Walton said.
The supervisor was one of the officials who spoke at the rally. He denounced the hate-fueled mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, where 10 people were killed by a gunman who admits to targeting a Black community.
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"We have to teach anti-hate in our schools," Walton said. "We have to teach anti-hate in our communities, in our places of worship."
Rev. Amos Brown, pastor for the historic Third Baptist Church, also spoke about the need for unity.
"If we come together and stay together, we will conquer this violence of hate and racism," Brown said.
The group also denounced other recent the shootings across the nation.
San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who is facing a recall election next month, also addressed the crowd.
"It's horrific, it's unacceptable," Boudin said. "We can not allow it to happen."
For the crowd that gathered, the message at the rally is something they said more people need to hear.
"I really feel that divided we fall, and we seem like we're falling," San Francisco resident Cheryl Howell said. "And I want to be on the side of standing together."
