SF mayor touts public safety efforts ahead of ‘No Kings’ protests

(BCN) — San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie announced Friday that the city is more than prepared to handle public safety matters and any potential unrest during Saturday’s major “No Kings” protest downtown.

“Looking ahead to this weekend, we expect protests, we expect demonstrations, we expect large gatherings,” Lurie said during a briefing with local public safety officials.

“We will not tolerate any violent or destructive behavior, whether it’s directed at an attendee, one of our local businesses, or one of our members of law enforcement. If you commit an act of violence, you will be arrested,” the mayor said.

San Francisco’s Police Department, Fire Department, and Department of Emergency Management are preparing for Saturday’s “No Kings” protest, which is against President Donald Trump and his administration’s policies.

While protests are occurring across the entire region, the demonstration in San Francisco is expected to be one of the largest, according to organizers. Protesters will march from Embarcadero Plaza to Civic Center Plaza, where a rally is planned.

The first “No Kings” protest over the summer drew thousands of attendees to San Francisco and was largely peaceful, according to SFPD.

“In June, a similar protest occurred with no significant issues,” said SFPD Deputy Chief Derrick Lew during Friday’s briefing. “We expect nothing different.”

In addition to increased police presence along the march route and around Civic Center Plaza, the California Highway Patrol is sending a platoon of officers to help support public safety efforts.

“We will be fully staffed and ready for anything that may occur,” Lew said. “The SFPD honors everyone’s right to protest, and we will facilitate peaceful demonstrations, but we will hold people who break the law accountable.”

Lurie’s touting of public safety efforts comes after Trump on Wednesday threatened to send National Guard troops to San Francisco, saying during a press conference that the city is “a mess.”

“There’s no need for additional support, because we have done this,” Lurie said. “I trust our local law enforcement and our entire team.”

According to crime data from SFPD, San Francisco has seen overall crime decline by 26%, violent crimes drop by 19%, and property crimes decrease by 28% for the first eight months of 2025 compared to the same time period last year. Additionally, homicides have reached a 70-year low and auto burglaries are at a 22-year low.

“Even though we remain 500 officers short, the tide has turned, and we’re on pace to have a net positive number of officers this year for the first time in over five years,” Lew said. “We’re on pace to have more recruits in the academy this year than any time since the pandemic.”

Members of the public and protest participants are encouraged to sign up for Alert SF by texting their ZIP codes to 888777 for emergency notifications. Traffic conditions can be found at the website 511.org.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency will send out public transit alerts on its social media accounts. Traffic delays are expected downtown due to closures on Market Street and surrounding streets.

People traveling to the protest and downtown are urged to take Muni Metro, which will not be impacted. Bus service along Market Street will be rerouted to Mission Street, and service that crosses Market Street will switch back or detour to avoid the area of the “No Kings” march during the afternoon.

Complete details of SFMTA impacts due to the protest can be found at https://www.sfmta.com/travel-updates/no-kings-protest-saturday-october-18-2025/.

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