San Franciscans Celebrate the End of Gang Injunctions; Concerned About Secret Database

San Francisco will terminate the injunctions on December 31, as a result of community pressure on City Attorney Dennis Herrera. The San Francisco No Injunctions Coalition, formed in response to this racist policing policy, has been building community opposition to the injunctions and will be celebrating this important victory for San Franciscans.

Coalition member Erris Edgerly, also of Brothers for Change, states, “Twelve years ago, I watched the City target the young men of the Western Addition neighborhood. These men were trying hard to find their way in this world. They'd take a step forward, only to have injunctions slapped on them, telling them that their relationships were illegitimate. It made them more vulnerable. The end of the injunctions is long overdue."

An end to gang injunctions means freedom to move for 53 men across San Francisco who have had their movement policed, some for more than a decade. Additionally, relationships with friends and loved ones criminalized under the injunction will be able to be re-established and fortified. This step toward self-determination is crucial to men who were named on the injunctions, despite the continued threats inherent to policing that they may continue to face.

"While we celebrate the community's victory over the gang injunctions, we know that SFPD continues to have other tools for targeting and labeling communities of color. The Gang Task Force continues to put names into its gang database with absolutely no oversight or accountability. Not even the Police Commission knows how many people are in that database or what the criteria are,” notes Jose Bernal of the San Francisco No Injunctions Coalition. With the SFPD and CalGang databases in effect, the young men previously named on the injunctions will likely continue to be gang profiled and targeted, which is why the Coalition will continue its work on behalf of all San Franciscans despite this significant win.

On Wednesday, December 18, at 11am, San Franciscans will gather at 1325 Fillmore St. between, Ellis and Eddy Streets, to celebrate the community victory over the use of gang injunctions in the city.

Family members of people named on the injunctions will be on hand to speak to the media about their experiences.