San Francisco city officials, including Board President Rafael Mandelman and Supervisor Connie Chan, and a California state senator were arrested at San Francisco International Airport on Friday during a May Day protest against conditions for airport workers and federal immigration agents’ presence in airports across the country.
The airport workers’ union picketed for higher wages and fully funded healthcare. Activist groups who joined the protest on Friday decried Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s presence at airports.
SFPD approaches as city and state officials block traffic to SFO’s international terminal, risking arrest. Photo by Marina Newman.
Unlike other airports around the country, ICE has not been deployed to assist TSA agents at SFO because the airport uses private contractors rather than federal employees.
But on March 22, a mother and her child were forcibly detained by ICE officials at SFO as the family was being escorted by federal agents to their home country of Guatemala. San Francisco police officers looked on, prompting anger from anti-immigration enforcement activists and concern that SFPD acted in breach of California sanctuary law by “assisting” while creating a boundary around the detention.
Chan, Mandelman and other city and state officials, including state Sen. Josh Becker and former supervisor Jane Kim, blocked the street to the international terminal, holding a banner in support of the union.
Senator Josh Becker, Board President Rafael Mandelman, Supervisor Connie Chan, and former supervisor Jane Kim protest airport workers’ working conditions, blocking traffic. Photo by Marina Newman.
“This is our moment,” said Chan before her arrest. “We’re gonna let all these greedy corporations know the SFO airport is the people’s airport. Our workers deserve fair pay and fair benefits.”
A San Francisco police officer standing behind city officials warned them that if they did not clear the area within 10 minutes they would be arrested, and motioned for anyone standing on the street to move to the curb and clear the street.
An SFPD officer speaks to a union representative, warning him that they will arrest protesters in the coming minutes. Photo by Marina Newman.
Supervisor Jackie Fielder, who is currently on a leave of absence following a personal health crisis, was also in attendance, but left before the arrests began.
Kim, Chan, Mandelman, and Becker were arrested. The officials calmly complied with the officers, and allowed them to tie their hands with zip ties and lead them into the airport.
At 1 p.m., approximately one hour after Chan and other city officials were arrested, the San Francisco Police Department released a statement saying that there are “no arrests or reports of injuries at this time.”
Former Supervisor Jane Kim is arrested by SFPD officers. Photo by Marina Newman.
“Public safety is our top priority,” read the statement, referring to a “First Amendment Activity” taking place at the airport. “We are working closely with SFO and our law enforcement partners to ensure adequate resources make it as safe as possible.”
Airport workers have been bargaining with the airport for over a year to increase their salaries. The union is demanding a $30 dollar per hour wage increase, fully funded healthcare, and protection for immigrant workers’ from ICE’s expansion into airports across the country.
Protesters gather outside SFO’s international terminal on May Day. Photo by Marina Newman.
“This needs to be a place where it’s safe for everybody,” said Sanjay Garla, first vice president at SEIU United Service Workers West. “That means for the workers, that means for the passengers … for everybody here, it means ICE out of SFO.”
From 11 a.m. until the late afternoon, picketers encircled the terminal, banging drums and chanting, “SFO shut it down, show them this is a union town!” At the beginning of the protest, organizers marched into the airport as airport workers and travelers looked on, some pulling out their phones to snap photos.
This action is part of nationwide May Day protests and boycotts. In San Francisco, there is another action scheduled for 2 p.m. at Civic Center Plaza, and a “workers over billionaires” action planned for 4 p.m. at Embarcadero Plaza.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Supervisor Jackie Fielder joined protesters on Friday. Photo by Marina Newman.
SFPD officers followed protesters marching through the SFO airport on Friday afternoon. Photo by Marina Newman.
San Francisco International Airport workers look on as protesters march through the airport. Photo by Marina Newman.
Protesters walk amongst travelers arriving at the airport on Friday afternoon. Photo by Marina Newman.
