Posted on 06/21/2017 10:27:03 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A man on a motorcycle allegedly drove into a crowd of people protesting Republican efforts to change federal health care Wednesday afternoon in San Francisco, nearly hitting several of the demonstrators.
Protesters had gathered outside the San Francisco Federal Building at 7th and Mission streets around 12:30 p.m. and were conducting a "die-in," in which a group of around 20 people laid down on Seventh Street to block traffic, when the incident occurred.
Emily Lee, a spokeswoman for the group Bay Resistance, which organized the protest along with Senior and Disability Action, said the man drove up on a red motorcycle, traveling the wrong way on Seventh Street.
"Everyone thought he was just confused, but he didn't stop, and at some point it became clear he was going to come through the crowd, and people jumped out of the way," Lee said.
"He was definitely targeting us," she said. "It was unclear if it was for political reasons or if he was just mentally unstable or what, but it was terrifying."
Lee said the man then turned around and began to come back through the crowd.
Federal police officers on the scene ordered him to stop, and one pulled out a gun when he initially failed to listen to orders to get off his bike, Lee said.
Police Officer Robert Rueca said there were no injuries as a result of the incident. The suspect is in custody, but charges have not yet been determined and his identity has not yet been released.
The "die-in" was intended to illustrate the potential effects of Republican health care legislation now moving through the U.S. Senate. A Congressional Budget Office report found that 23 million fewer people would have insurance by 2026 under a similar law approved in the House in May.
The event was part of a national day of action regarding the health care legislation, which is moving through the Senate with little public input or notice.
Lee said the group lying in the street included seniors and people with various disabilities because they would be among those most affected by the legislation.
“20 people laid down on Seventh Street”
so let me understand this, these people laid down... !!IN THE STREET!! And now they’re complaining because someone tried to run them over?!
motorcyclist huh? What next? A Skateboarder? Power walker?
Stop obstructing traffic in an area meant for driving!
The cyclist should not be targeting people in that manner, but it’s just a matter of time before your average driver is going to floor it, and keep going.
Another example of the Police siding with the “resistance” per walking orders.
SMH
they had to jump up and get out of the street and they were skeered? fancy that
Need moar of this...........
Sounds like the biker kind of edged up and vroomed at the protesters, who weren’t amused.
Someone said he backtracked on a one way street to do it, which was over the line, but just vrooming at protesters lying in the street isn’t any crime.
Do the Hooligans still exist here?
San Fran? They’d probably work a deal with the biker to vroom at them at any other time. But at a protest? That’s sacrosanct. Uncool.
” and were conducting a “die-in,””
Pilots learn really early not to do things that could wind up being really ironic.
Maybe this group will think twice about taking a nap in the middle of a ‘Market Street’ type area the next time.
If they tried this on Van Ness Blvd.or even worse, on Lombard Street, that would have been both dangerous and hilarious.
Van Ness is hilly followed by a steep drop. Lombard is notorious for it’s eight sharp turns.
I seem to recall a Laurel & Hardy silent movie filmed in Hollywood showing the boys chasing a full barrell of beer down a very long, hilly road.
Incredibly irresponsible of the organizers to permit anyone, especially the disabled and elderly, to lie down in a street. Reckless endangerment...
Incredibly irresponsible of the organizers to permit anyone, especially the disabled and elderly, to lie down in a street. ...
As a biker let me say that it’s impossible to actively target people with a motorcycle like you could with a car. You’d crash on the first person you hit. Bikes can’t run over anything.
No, it would not. Mythbusters tackled that one years ago.
Immature adults are advised to not play in the street.
I recall at least one recent case where it was found that the people in the street are there at their own risk. The drivers have a right of way to move without being stopped or attacked.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.