Do You Feel Protected?

On a recent photo trip to the Embarcadero Area, where the pre-50th Super Bowl festivities were taking place (I wrote about it last week), I encountered a lot of police (men and women), whose jobs were to protect the public. They looked very friendly and helped to direct the influx of people to the special events. But later on, when I walked on Market Street, I encountered a different attitude. First, I noticed about 20 policemen on motorcycles, with their engines roaring. They were parked in perfect formation, and it seemed, they were geared up for something to happen. Just in front of them, stood 20 or so policemen on foot, with their batons in hand and about the same number across the Street. Suddenly, the first of the officers from the motorcycle group raised his hand and they started moving, one by one in a very disciplined manner, while the policemen on foot followed. They blocked a group of demonstrators who were moving toward Embarcadero, while protesting against police brutality. It was almost as though everything that was happening was being very well orchestrated. Every policeman knew where to be and what to do. Fortunately, nothing “exciting” happened. There was no confrontation, and after the demonstrators were ordered to move to the sidewalk, the tension dropped. I only knew about police brutality toward black people from the headlines in the newspapers and some images I saw on the news. I also encountered and photographed a “Black Lives Matter” demonstration in Union Square in November, 2014. In my view, any prejudices stem from being afraid of the stereotyped images of how “they”, whoever that would be, can hurt us.

 

Former Mayor Willie Brown (who is African-American), wrote an article in the February 7, 2016 issue of the San Francisco Chronicle, where he described his encounter at Ruth’s Chris Steak House with a group of members of two opposing football teams (before the Super Bowl). He wrote, “No sooner had I sat down than the maître d’ comes over and says, ”Mr. Brown, I seated five big black guys in one dining room, and three other big black guys who just came in are in the other dining room.” After visiting both groups Mr. Brown continues, “Given the guys’ size and outfits and crazy hair, I’m sure half the diners thought they were going to be robbed at any minute.”