On May 25, 2020, 69 days into the San Francisco shelter-in-place order, George Floyd was arrested in Minneapolis, Minnesota for allegedly using a fake $20 bill. He died in police custody. Such incidents usually garner little attention. But in this case, the excruciatingly painful death of an unarmed black man pleading “I can’t breathe” while being pinned to the ground by a white police officer’s knee on his neck was captured on cell phone video and posted to Facebook. The video went viral.
After a seemingly unending cycle of unjust killings of people of color by law enforcement, George Floyd’s execution brought to the forefront a long list of unjust killings of people of color. A movement was born. Finally!
On May 26, the officers who arrested George Floyd were fired and protests began in Minneapolis. On May 27 protests started spreading to other cities across the US. By May 29, huge daily marches were breaking out in San Francisco. On the night of May 30, unrest turned into riots resulting in hundreds of businesses being damaged and looted, from big box stores and high end retailers, to small family-owned corner markets.
During this time I was doing my thing: job hunting, shopping for groceries, volunteering for local organizations, and capturing life on the streets of San Francisco with my camera. But all of a sudden in 2020, the world pivoted again, and what seemed relevant and important was no, well, different.
This is my photographic record of that week. When the week started, urban life in San Francisco was much like the “new normal” under the cloud of COVID-19. Seven days later, the streets of downtown seemed more dystopian than ever. I am hopeful though, that with this great turmoil will come positive changes. That we will make progress towards loving and supporting each other more. I am hopeful that we will come out on the other side of this moment in history with a mindset to make our communities, cities and the world a better place.
Stark midday shadows at 555 California Street (formally known as the Bank of America building).
I lone figure walking down Leidesdorff Street in the Financial District.
Graffiti on a metal gate that is covered by another metal gate at Post and Larkin Streets makes for some interesting shadows and designs.
This poster for the San Francisco chapter of the United States Bartenders Guild is outside R Bar on Sutter Street. I really like the design with the phoenix rising over the city - a nod to the flag of San Francisco.
A cactus blooms on Taylor Street.
North Beach Church on Broadway Street.
Tower Records used to be on this site at Jones Street and Columbus Avenue. Now it’s a Walgreens.
Garages on Filbert Street make for some interesting patterns.
Students from Notre Dame Des Victoires School 8th Grade celebrate their graduation outside Notre Dame Des Victoires Church.
Painted doors on closed art gallery on Geary Street.
Malcolm X quote on an electric box on California Street.
Street art outside Beyond Burma restaurant.
Looking up at 181 Fremont tower.
Please don’t touch the crosswalk button!
Looking up at the new Mira luxury residences tower.
I thought that this old, warped city map on 3rd Street was a good representation of our neighborhoods nowadays.
The downtown Target was looted on Saturday night and now is boarded up and closed. This is a big blow to local residents who rely on these stores for essentials.
The Disney Store in Union Square boarded up before the riots and looting. Good thing too, because you know the Elsa Classic Doll Bedroom set from Frozen 2 would not have lasted more than a few minutes.
Traffic barriers were installed on Powell Street and all other street access points into Union Square.
On Saturday night, 25 stores in Union Square were looted resulting in millions in dollars of theft and damage. Mayor London Breed requested extra law enforcement personnel from the California Office of Emergency Services. By Monday, sheriffs from counties all over California were stationed downtown in an impressive display of force.