(BCN) – San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie announced Friday that the city is more than prepared to handle public safety issues and any potential unrest during Saturday’s large “No Kings” protest downtown.
“We’re looking forward to this weekend, we’re anticipating protests, we’re anticipating demonstrations, we’re anticipating large gatherings,” Lowry said during a news conference with local public safety officials.
“We will not tolerate any violent or destructive behavior, whether it is directed at an attendee, one of our local businesses, or a member of our law enforcement. If you commit an act of violence, you will be arrested,” the mayor said.
The San Francisco Police Department, Fire Department, and Emergency Management are preparing for Saturday’s “No Kings” protest against President Donald Trump and his administration’s policies.
While protests are taking place 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 scheduled.
The first “No Kings” protests over the summer attracted thousands of attendees to San Francisco and were largely peaceful, according to the SFPD.
“In June, a similar protest occurred without significant issues,” SFPD Deputy Chief Derek Liu said during a news conference on Friday. “We don’t expect anything different.”
In addition to the increased police presence along the parade 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 human and ready for anything that may happen,” Liu said. “SFPD respects everyone’s right to protest, and we will work to facilitate peaceful demonstrations, but we will hold accountable people who break the law.”
Lowry’s promotion of public safety efforts comes after Trump on Wednesday threatened to send National Guard troops to San Francisco, saying during a news conference that the city was “a mess.”
“There’s no need for additional support, because we’ve done it,” Lowry said. “I trust our local law enforcement and our entire team.”
According to crime data released by the SFPD, San Francisco saw overall crime decrease 26%, violent crimes decrease 19%, and property crimes decrease 28% during the first eight months of 2025 compared to the same period last year. In addition, homicides are at a 70-year low, and car burglaries are at a 22-year low.
“Although we are still short 500 officers, the tide has turned, and we are on pace to have a net positive number of officers this year for the first time in more than five years,” Liu said. “We are on pace to have more recruits into the academy this year than at 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 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 the closure of Market Street and surrounding streets.
People traveling to the protest and downtown are urged to take the Muni Metro, which will not be affected. Bus service along Market Street will be redirected to Mission Street, and service crossing Market Street will reverse or deviate to avoid the “No Kings” marching area during the afternoon.
Full details of the 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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