If you commuted to work in San Francisco yesterday through the financial district during rush hour, you might have seen quite a sight–a group of topless women blocking Market Street. Ten women blocked the street as part of a day of action to “end state violence against all black women and girls.” Using the hashtag #SayHerName and organized by BlackOUT Collective, the idea was to put a name and a face to those who have died by the hands of the police.
“We wanted to be part of morning commute when people were going to work,” Cat Brooks told Fusion during a phone interview after the demonstration. “This [protest] was in the financial district because profit and capital underlies so much of the trauma that black women go through here and around the globe,” said Brooks, whose organization the Onyx Organizing Committee supported todays event.
The protest was an incredible show of strength and agency.
Team Blackness also discussed new developments in the Freddie Gray case, gay adoptions and the GOP, and banning LGBT conversion therapy.
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Botsplainer
If I had boobs, I’d show them to people all the time. My current set of moobs, not so much…
samiam
Wr0ng way Cole defending the fat bastard Christie in 3…2…1
talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/chris-christie-roast-vulgar-journalists
Followed shortly by some complaint about how Hillary did something wrong again supposedly.
Shakezula
Hopefully the boobs will stop police violence against black women and girls, but I suspect it will just trigger a brief round of brow clutching from people who are shocked by the sight of bare bosoms but give a big meh when the police kill another unarmed person.
Aleta
One of the most powerful protests and street performances I’ve ever seen. Fcking blown away by these women’s minds, art, and commitment. Hope they get the respect and recognition for the murdered women, and themselves, that is asked for.
shell
@samiam: Who know what the hell you’re talking about. Since when does Cole defend Christie?
Goblue72
I work in the FiDi and this protest passed by fairly invisibly as far as us worker drones go.
It’s creative and powerful imagery, but frankly, there’s so much of these kinds of protests in the Bay Area that at this point it’s white noise preaching to the choir. There’s more nudity at Bay to Breakers.
Cervantes
Courageous.
More power to them.
A lot more.
Tone in DC
Amazing how the worst violence is ho hum, while any hint of sex (straight, gay or other) causes some peoples’ heads to explode.
MobiusKlein
@Goblue72: It’s true.
I’m there too, and protests like this jam up the traffic so much that nobody can actually see the protest, oddly.
Traffic was backed up nearly a mile on Market street, yet the folks just one block away don’t even know why traffic is f’ed.
Aleta
@Goblue72: @MobiusKlein: yes, for sure.
Big ole hound
San Franciscans are so bored with protests ans boobs only a handful of voyeurs showed up. Traffic back-up did more to piss everyone off than anything else. Big fail.
fuckwit
The problem with these kinds of protests is they inconvenience the workers just trying to get to and from their shit jobs, and don’t do shit to inconvenience the scumfucks at the top who have all the money and power and pull the strings.
But they do raise awareness. I doubt anyone would be talking about income inequality today if it weren’t for the work the Occupy kids did back in 2011.
Tree With Water
Yes indeed, it was an inspired act of political appeal. There is no more effective tactic for winning the hearts-and-minds of the good people of the Bay Area than to muck-up traffic in San Francisco’s financial district on a holiday weekend getaway day. It was absolutely brilliant..
Steve from Antioch
@Big ole hound:
Yep. I probably rode my bike past several hundred people who were either sitting in cars, buses, or on the streetcars all with no idea why they were sitting there.
But I’m sure that the “protesters” thought they were **making a difference**
Cervantes
@Tree With Water:
Do you think you might reconsider after you’ve spent a lifetime being powerless and desperate?
Perhaps not!
@fuckwit:
I wonder: do you remember the old “Take Back the Night” protests?