Mayor Ed Lee's Stop-and-Frisk Policy Is Giving San Franciscans Something to Protest

By Laura Rena Murray Tue., Jul. 10 2012 at 11:50 AM

Not surprisingly, the news that Mayor Ed Lee was considering implementing a stop-and-frisk policy in this liberal bastion sent plenty of San Franciscans reeling. The impetus behind the mayor's idea is to put a clamp on the never-ending gun violence on the street.

But community members here are hoping to put a clamp on the mayor's plan even before its been officially proposed. A group already started a Facebook page to protest Stop and Frisk, and next Tuesday, San Francisco's Black Young Democrats will host a rally on the steps of City Hall at 10 a.m. The group is also circulating its own petition saying "no" to a stop-and-frisk policy in San Francisco.

"This initiative would directly affect young minorities of color, legitimize and legalize racial discrimination and profiling, and set a precedent that damages our constitution," the petition reads. "The Fourth Amendment protects us against unreasonable search and seizures -- however, this policy allows the disregard of 'probable cause.'"

As we previously reported, one look at the data culled from New York and Philadelphia, two cities that currently employ this controversial policing practice, shows that it does very little to get illegal guns off the streets. Fewer than 2 percent of the NYPD frisks uncovered a weapon.

But what the policy has done is increase tensions between law enforcement and the public, especially in low-income neighborhoods.

Many people claim this policy condones and encourages racial profiling. Indeed, according to a report by the American Civil Liberties Union, the majority of individuals stopped in New York City were young Latino (33.7 percent) and black men (52.9 percent). More than half were between 14 and 24 years old.

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Tags:

American Civil Liberties Union, Black Young Democrats, Mayor Ed Lee, Stop & Frisk

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IT HAS NOTHING TO DO ABOUT RACES IM SURE THEY HATE YOU US ALL EQUALLY THERE ARE LOTS OF EVIL PEOPLE THAT NEED TO BE OFF THE STREETS THEY CANT GET THEM OFF IF THEY DRIVE AROUND LIKE ITS A ZOO PARK SO START FRISKING FORGET ABOUT PROFILING FRISK EVERYONE LOL THEN THE CRIMINALS WILL THINK OH SHIT I CANT BRING THIS BECAUSE THE COPS ARE GOING TO BUST MY BALLS

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FUCK THAT YOU DONT UNDERSTAND THESE COPS NEED TO WORK AND THATS THE FUCKING JOB GET OUT THERE AND WALK THE STREETS TO STOP CRIME KEEP GUNS AND KNIVES OFF THE STREET & WHO USE THEM OTHERWISE YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF BAD FOLKS RUNNING LOOSE DOING WHAT THEY WANT BECAUSE THEY DONT GIVE A DAMN OTHERWISE YOU HAVE COPS ON COFFEE BRAKE EATING ICECREAM CONE LIKE ITS SOMEONES BIRTHDAY PARTY HAHA COPS DONT LIKE BUSTING PEOPLE BECUASE ITS TOO MUCH PAPER WORK SO ONLY 911 CALLS THEY WILL PURSUE TELL THE COPS AND EDD LEE NO TELL THE VICTIMS THAT HIT THE GRAVE SLAVES MOD4SA MAVRICK88 AKSAIGA

Mwalk1947

I am 65 years old, and I am witnessing civil rights being taken away, allowing for racial profiling, removal of voting rights, enslaving college youth with unbelievable college costs, the robbing of school funds for over paid adminstrators, outright traitor like behavior from politicians and corporations, and the rolling back of wages, through removal of union bargaining rights. Greed is the downfall of all empires! Perhaps the extreme wrath from mother nature, will reset sensibility and order, from chaos!

Strong Supporter of BYDSF

I want to commend the all work done by the Black Young Dems on this issue. They were the FIRST to take action here in the city and these young people are setting a very great example for ALL of us-- young and old, black and non-black, democrat and non-democrat--we all should follow their example. We are, above all else, PEOPLE. Let us stand united! Say NO to stop and frisk

Anon

You know what else profiles young black men? The number of shootings in San Francisco. Guess the NAACP or ACLU don't care about that, just about the cops tryin to get illegal guns off the streets. Oh and the Black Young Democrats should learn about probable cause vs reasonable suspicion. I dont need probable cause to search, just to arrest. And maybe check Terry vs Ohio. Do I really need stop and frisk? No. I can articulate most searches. If I can't, oh well, ya don't get searched. Even if we do get "stop and frisk" the City will track it and make such stringent requirements that it'll be pointless to have here, and we will go back to regular Terry and "reasonable suspicion" searches.

Lwallace622

Major Eddie I have an idea. Arm all your citizens and see how fast gun violence against your citizens will send the bastards running!! And don't frisk me unless you invite me out to dinner.