All the Bay’s Protests, Marches & Creative Alternatives | SF

Submitted by the Event Organizer

The right-wing group, Patriot Prayer’ “Freedom Rally” in Crissy Field on Saturday was canceled – but has has sparked a massive response and tons of counter-protests in San Francisco including a big free concert with Michael Franti of Spearhead at Civic Center, a dog poop protest, and a Mobile Dance Counter Rally. The East Bay gets into the act with over 8,000 people RSVPing on Facebook for the Bay Area Rally Against Hate on Sunday.

San Francisco Counter-Protests

If you want to protest against the Patriot Prayer event, there’s tons of ways to get involved. Broke-Ass Stuart has a nice roundup of some creative protests. Stuart also gives tips on how to stay safe and protest responsibly, suggests alternatives to protesting like volunteering to feed the needy, and has “Resist” merchandise available.

Most importantly, you should constantly check the organizers’ websites below to make sure the details, locations and start times haven’t changed. Information is changing rapidly.

Protests & Marches

• “SF Unite Against Hate” Rally – Friday, 8/25 at Noon at City Hall – Mayor Edwin M. Lee, President London Breed, members of the Board of Supervisors, community leaders, faith-based representatives, labor organizations, local musicians and residents will gather at City Hall to peacefully celebrate San Francisco values of compassion, love and inclusiveness.
• Stand Up to Hate – March on Alamo Square – Saturday 8/26 11am to 6pm – since the Patriot Prayer rally at Crissy Field was canceled, and then a press conference was rescheduled for Alamo Square (and then canceled) this is among the largest marches and protests.
• San Francisco Against Hate – March to Crissy Field – Meet at 9 am at Longshoremen’s Hall, March to Crissy Field at 10 am – The International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 10 (ILWU), who has a long history of fighting against racism, along with many other SF community groups and individuals who stand against white supremacy, misogyny and homophobia, will be marching from Longshoreman’s Hall to Crissy Field to protest.
• Resist Counter Protest – Sat. 8/26 at Crissy Field at 1 pm – Show up in force, create signs and disrupt the agenda of the unwelcomed hate groups.
• Non-violent Resistance to Fascism – Saturday 8/26 at Crissy Field organized by the San Francisco Queer Resistance
• Anti-Racist Rally – Sat. 8/26 – 490 Marina Blvd.

Creative Protests

• Trump Chicken PhotoBombs “Freedom Rally” – Saturday, 8/26 at 2pm – The owners of that inflatable 33-foot-tall Trump-lookalike Chicken are trying to rent a tug boat to take their giant inflatable out on the water so that they can ruin the alt-right glamour shots of the Golden Gate Bridge.
• Calling All Clowns – Sat. 8/26 at 2 pm at Crissy Field – “This is a call for a contingent of anti-racist, anti-fascist clowns to descend upon Crissy Field to mercilessly ridicule any neo-nazis, white supremacists, or alt right trolls who dare show their face in San Francisco.”
• Flowers against Fascism – Sat. 8/26 at Crissy Field at 1 pm  – “As white supremacists and neo-Nazis gather in our midst, we’ll tune into the love frequency again and meet their hatred with flowers for their hair. Bring all the cut flowers you can gather to Crissy Field to distribute among rally attendees. Bring your instruments and sing along.”
• Protest by Boat, Kayak & Stand Up Paddleboard – Sat. 8/26 at 1 pm off of Crissy Field – “The Bay Resistance Brigade Paddle Out calls all SUP’ers, kayakers, boaters, sailors, surfers, and bay swimmers: we will be in the SF Bay by Crissy Field to show our resistance against white supremacy, neo-Nazism, fascism, and all forms of bigotry. Bring waterproof signs, horns, and your voice.”

Alternatives to Protesting

• People’s Town Hall Project “Candlelight” Vigil – Friday 8/25 at Crissy Field at 7 pm – Please note this is for electronic candles only, not open flames due to fire restrictions.
• “LovedUp” Mobile Dance Counter Rally – Sat. 8/26 (12-5 pm) – Start at Dolores Park and march to Civic Center – Bring an FM boom box and join a few thousand others in creating the world’s largest mobile sound system to protest in the universal language of ‘shake yo ass’.
• Peace Rally with Michael Franti & Spearhead – Sat. 8/26 at Civic Center (12-5 pm) – All day alternative rally with Michael Franti, Marga Gomez, Brothers Comatose and free of political speeches.
• “Stop Hate” Heart-Shaped Human Banner – Saturday, 8/26 at 2 pm at Ocean Beach Stairwells 3-6 – Wear red or pink and join in at Ocean Beach to create a human banner in a 100 foot heart designed by Brad Newsham. This will be a peaceful, family-friendly event countering the alt right rally on Crissy Field in a safe and positive way.
• World Record for Sand Angels – Saturday, 8/26 at 1 pm – Ocean Beach (It looks like it’s near Balboa, but the organizers are vague as to the location) – A safe non-violent counter protest and attempt to break the Guinness world record of simultaneous mass sand angels of 1,387.
• Come Together – Juanita More’s Official Art Event For Equality – Sat. 8/26 at Harvey Milk Plaza in Castro (Noon to 2 pm)
• Leave Your Dog Pop on Crissy Field – Leave a gift for your Alt-Right friends. Take your dog to Crissy Field and let them do their business and be sure not to clean it up. Watch out for landmines, friends. Then, get together on Sunday and clean up the mess.
• The Cutest Lil’ Counter Protest – Saturday 8/26 from 11 am to 3 pm – Meet at Conservatory of Flowers at 11 am “We’re declaring a Hate-Free Zone in Golden Gate Park. This peaceful protest is for families and kids. Let’s smother hate with as much love and cuteness as possible”
• “Protest” By Volunteering to Feed the Needy – Sat. 8/25 at Marina Green at 4pm – a community gathering to join together in music, compassion and love with a “free store” for those in need. Hat tip to Broke Ass Stuart.
• Post-Rally Eliminate the Hate: Trash Removal/Community Gathering – Sat. 8/26 at 5:30 pm at Crissy Field.  UPDATE – Event unlikely to be permited – “Rather than bring any violence or attention to the hate, we are making space for love. Please join us with your brooms, trash bags, and open hearts to wipe away the hate and all its residue that the Patriot Prayer rally is bringing to San Francisco.”
• Take up All the Parking Spots in Crissy Field – Force the rally participants to have to walk a bit further to the event (or bike, or take an Uber). – This is no longer relevent as all cars are banned from Crissy Field during the event.

East Bay Counter-Protests

• Bay Area Rally Against Hate – 8/27 – Berkeley
• Empathy Pop Up – 8/26 – Berkeley
• Resist Racist Violence & Hate in Berkeley – 8/27 – Berkeley
• “End Hate” Human Banner – 8/26 – Walnut Creek
• Trump Proof the Bay Area – September 16th – Oakland Peace Center

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.