San Francisco city employees responsible for enforcing street vending regulations have been issued bulletproof vests following a surge in death threats.
The city's Public Works inspectors, who oversee food carts and ensure street vendors have the necessary permits, have been subjected to an escalating number of threats and assaults, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Public Works spokesperson Rachel Gordon revealed to the Chronicle that her staff have been "pushed, bumped, [had] items thrown at them." Gordon added that "the verbal attacks remain frequent," and some inspectors have been punched in the stomach and had their lives threatened.
The city has intensified its crackdown on street vendors as the fencing of stolen goods has become increasingly prevalent in bustling downtown areas, including U.N. Plaza and the vicinity of Mission and Market streets. These areas are also known for drug deals.
The clampdown on street vending comes after Supervisor Hillary Ronen announced a total ban on Mission Street starting next month. Sources informed The Post that some street vendors and fencers are "smash-and-grabbers" who steal items ranging from medication to toiletries from stores like Walgreens, only to resell them quickly on Market Street and other areas with high rates of homelessness.
San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott acknowledged the city's growing problems with fencing, permitting, and attacks on inspectors. "They have been subject to attacks, verbal and physical assaults," Scott told local ABC7 KGO. "So it really makes it difficult to do their jobs."
In September, the San Francisco Police Department received a $15.3 million state grant and pledged to conduct a series of "blitz" operations to curb retail theft. However, fencing in the black market remains a persistent issue.
Community members have also expressed concerns about city inspectors following an incident earlier this month when a Public Works employee was filmed pushing a street vendor's cart to the ground at the popular tourist spot, Fisherman's Wharf. In the video, an inspector wearing a bright yellow vest chased hot dog vendor Juan Carlos Ramirez, grabbed Ramirez's cart, and pushed it to the ground, scattering hot dogs, onions, bell peppers, and buns across the street.
"I was embarrassed," Ramirez told local ABC7 KGO in Spanish. "It was humiliating."
Street vendors have voiced concerns that if their cart is confiscated by Public Works inspectors for lack of permits, they face a $300 fine, which many cannot afford. This raises questions about who they are working for and who profits from their work.
Ronen and her staff have stated that the ongoing threats to inspectors are "the straw that broke the camel's back." Santiago Lerma, Ronen's legislative aide, told ABC7, "What we have seen over the last year and a half is Mission Street really being flooded with large scale fencing organizations."
He added, "Our Public Works inspectors are now wearing bulletproof vests while they are walking the streets and they are escorted by police."
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