Sen. Scott Wiener (D-Calif.) said Saturday that he was “harassed, threatened and physically intimidated” at two separate public events in San Francisco this week, including during the city’s Trans March and at a Mission District bar.
Trans March Confrontation In Dolores Park
Wiener said the first incident occurred during the Trans March at Dolores Park, where he has attended for more than 20 years in solidarity with the transgender community.
“As I walked through Dolores Park…a group of people began screaming at me, ran up to me, surrounded me, and began harassing me, both verbally and physically, including physical contact,” Wiener wrote.
He said protesters also made remarks about his “Israeli handlers” and other comments he described as “inaccurate, extreme, and vile.”
“They were so physically and verbally aggressive that it was impossible for me to safely remain in the park. As a result, I left the park and, for the very first time, did not participate in the trans march,” Wiener added.
Mission District Bar Incident
Wiener also described a separate incident earlier in the week at a Mission District bar, where he said a man confronted him and staff, shouted insults and was later removed by employees.
He said the individual continued yelling outside the venue after being ejected.
“He screamed abuse at me and our staff before being ejected,” Wiener said.
He added that the same person had previously stalked him in 2023 in an airport and on a plane.
Wiener stressed that while he supports protest and disagreement, there is a clear boundary.
“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,” he said.
Newsom Warns Rollback
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif) warned that President Donald Trump’s policies could reverse progress on civil, voting, LGBTQ, and women’s rights, saying the country risked moving backward if Americans did not push back.
He said Trump wanted to “put America in reverse” and urged stronger political messaging to defend democratic rights.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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