'We are prepared': SF businesses boarded up as leaders call for peaceful 'No Kings' protests
SAN FRANCISCO - Ahead of anti-Trump protests planned for this weekend, storefronts in San Francisco's Union Square have been boarded up.
Dozens of protests are planned across the Bay Area on Saturday as part of the "No Kings" movement happening nationwide to protest the Trump administration.
Peter Hosey is the organizer of the San Francisco "No Kings" protest. He's gathering people to the grass at Mission Dolores Park on Saturday.
"We want to give people a chance to show up in the streets, in mass and great numbers, and take our message to the people," he said.
Hosey says the protest will be peaceful.
San Francisco's protest is one of more than 2,000 happening across the country.
Hosey said he wants to be part of the nationwide movement to protest against Pres. Donald Trump.
The demonstrations coincide with Trump's military parade happening in Washington, D.C. on Saturday.
The events also fall on the president's 79th birthday.
The use of the military in Los Angeles to enforce immigration raids is helping fuel some of the activism this weekend.
"I think these mass protests where everyone is there on the same day feel the most powerful to me as an observer," said San Francisco resident Matthew Jones. "So hopefully me being there will have a little bit of an impact for people watching."
Ahead of those protests, stores like Dior and Nike in Union Square are protecting their windows in case the demonstrations go awry.
"We're encouraging all of our participants to stick to the march, stick to the rally, don't antagonize the cops, don't antagonize anybody," Hosey said. "The event will end at Civic Center Plaza and that will be it."
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie emphasized safety during a press conference on Friday.
"Tomorrow, and every single day, our job is to keep you safe and make sure you have the freedom to express yourself," he said.
Lurie said there will be additional dedicated patrols on the ground on Saturday.
"We are prepared, we are coordinated, and we are ready to respond to any scenario," he said.
He made it clear that violence will not be tolerated.
"I want to be crystal clear. If there is violence or destructive activity, law enforcement will step in. If you assault a police officer or break windows of a local business, you will be arrested."
Protests are also planned across the North, South and East Bay and most start between 10 a.m. and noon.
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