SF protests demanding ceasefire turn violent as police pepper spray demonstrators

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Despite the rain this weekend, protestors packed the streets of San Francisco.

Earlier on Sunday, a show of support for the Jewish community rallied against a rise in antisemitism. On Saturday, pro-Palestine protestors demanded a ceasefire. Those demonstrators eventually clashed with police.

The war between Israel and Hamas are still heavy on the minds of people all across the Bay Area.

Weekend protests took over the streets of San Francisco: one for Israel and the other Jewish community. The other was a pro-Palestine demonstration calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

“We have to gather in this fight against antisemitism.”

Organizers say Sunday’s Unity March was about standing up against the rise in hate against the Jewish community. Unity March Organizer Rachel Batish says antisemitism has been surging since Hamas’ October attack on Israel and the war that’s followed.

“The last few months have been horrific for us,” Batish said. “People are afraid to go onto the street and say they are jewish. We wanted to get all of those people… estimated to be 10K out here to feel safe and say they are Jewish and be proud of it.”

In front of city hall, people chanted pleas for Hamas to release hostages. But with no deal reached, the war continues and so do the protests.

Hundreds marched Saturday in San Francisco as a part of a global day of action for Palestine.

At one point, the protest turned violent.

Video shows police pepper spraying demonstrators. The San Francisco Police Department tells KRON4 the group became violent, and they had to respond to calls about assault, vandalism and property damage.

People at both protests had one thing in common — an end to the fighting in Gaza. All eyes remain on the Middle East as we wait to hear if both Israel and Hamas can reach an agreement.