Scott Wiener, a Democratic state senator running to replace Nancy Pelosi in Congress, said he was chased away from San Francisco’s Trans March on Friday by harassment over his stance on Israel and Gaza.
A group of people in Dolores Park, where the march began, “began screaming at me, ran up to me, surrounded me, and began harassing me, both verbally and physically, including physical contact,” Wiener said in a statement Saturday.
“They made statements about my ‘Israeli handlers,’ among many other inaccurate, extreme, and vile statements,” he said. “They were so physically and verbally aggressive that it was impossible for me to safely remain in the park.”
“They made statements about my ‘Israeli handlers,’ among many other inaccurate, extreme, and vile statements.”
— California State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco
Wiener said the confrontation followed an encounter on Wednesday at a bar in the Mission where he was ““They made statements about my ‘Israeli handlers,’ among many other inaccurate, extreme, and vile statements.” ” while watching the World Cup game. A spokesman for the senator said both incidents would be reported to San Francisco police.
In general, state-level politicians aren’t afforded police protection and Wiener’s spokesman wouldn’t discuss his security arrangements.
“We have measures in place,” spokesman Erik Mebust said. “We’re not canceling any of his planned appearances this weekend” including his scheduled participation in Sunday’s Pride Parade.
Officials’ comments and public safety concerns
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie condemned the harassment of Wiener but stopped short of ordering police to intervene.
“This language directed at Senator Wiener yesterday was targeted, hateful and antisemitic.”
— San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie
“As mayor, I can never accept hate directed at a member of our community,” Lurie said in a statement. “This language directed at Senator Wiener yesterday was targeted, hateful and antisemitic.”
Wiener, who has expressed support for Israel’s right to exist, stepped down from his post as co-chair of the state’s Jewish Caucus earlier this year after describing the conflict in Gaza as a “genocide.”
Wiener said he had no objection to “anyone disagreeing with me, opposing me, or protesting me.”
“That’s democracy, even when the people engaging in this conduct misrepresent my views,” he said.
“But when opposition and disagreement transition to harassment, including cornering me, touching me, or trying to physically bully me out of a public event, that crosses a line,” Wiener said.