Large crowd packs San Francisco City Hall to support resolution calling for Gaza cease-fire
Thousands of pro-Palestinian supporters packed into San Francisco City Hall to show their support for a resolution introduced by Sup. Dean Preston calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.
The line for those trying to get into the meeting was so long at one point it wrapped around the entire second floor of the building. Some waited for hours in line.
"Three hours and we have not lost steam. We're still going, and I'll be here as long as it takes," said Mariam Jebari, a pro-Palestinian supporter.
The resolution was only being introduced on Tuesday, but supporters are already looking to the future.
"I think that if San Francisco passes this resolution next week it'll set a precedent that the city of San Francisco stands against genocide, and I'm optimistic with the amount of support that's here today that it will pass," said Musa Tariq with the Council on American Islamic Relations.
In addition to calling for a cease-fire, the resolution also condemns antisemitic, anti-Palestinian, and Islamophobic rhetoric and attacks, as well as calls for humanitarian aid in the region and the release of hostages.
Public comment lasted for hours, as person after person voiced their support for the resolution. Noticeably absent were those against it.
Instead of attending the meeting, those against the resolution, many of them members of the Jewish Community Relations Council, held a vigil outside city hall for the hostages still being held by Hamas.
In attendance was state Senator Scott Weiner and three members of the board of supervisors including Supervisor Rafael Mandelman.
"We need to be able to work together on stopping drug overdose deaths and getting care to mentally ill people and addressing crime, getting housing for folks. There are so many things we need to do in this city, and I don't see how the Board of Supervisors taking up this issue helps us advance any of those solutions," said Sup. Mandelman.
As the vigil outside wrapped up, the chants inside began, marking another emotional day for those on all sides of this conflict.
The board was not voting on this resolution during this meeting. It is just the beginning of the process.
It is unclear at this time how much support the resolution has among the supervisors.