SFPD's tries to clear up confusion around street vendor's arrest
SAN FRANCISCO - The San Francisco Police Department said it is clearing up misconceptions about a widely circulated video showing officers arresting a woman accused of illegal street vending as her child cries hysterically in the background.
The video, which was obtained by the news outlet Mission Local, has attracted widespread attention.
In response to criticism stemming from the video that showed officers tackling and handcuffing the street vendor, the department said the video only shows a glimpse of the confrontation that went down Sunday morning along the Embarcadero.
The police department called the video an "orchestrated effort by people illegally vending hot dogs to undermine the city’s efforts to enforce the law."
Officers said the incident started around 10:30 a.m. when San Francisco's Vending Enforcement Task Force, which includes police, port workers, and city public health and public works employees, were issuing warnings to people vending illegally near Pier 33 on the Embarcadero.
An hour later, the team returned to the area to enforce health and safety regulations. During this time, they tried to confiscate hot dog carts from vendors who didn't have street vending permits and who refused to leave the area, authorities said.
"A woman who did not have a permit refused to cooperate with the city enforcement task force and would not let employees take a cart, gripping it tightly," the police department explained in a social media post.
According to officials, the woman got into a tug-of-war with a Port employee over the hot dog cart. Police tried to defuse the situation after separating the woman from her cart, but she allegedly ran back to the cart, grabbed it, and struck the port employee, authorities said. This altercation was not seen on the video footage obtained by Mission Local.
"SFPD officers witnessed the battery and attempted to handcuff the woman who continued resisting. Even after getting her on the ground, the woman continued to hold her arms under her and resisted being detained," the police department said.
A child believed to be the vendor's daughter, can be heard crying in the background of the video. At one point, the girl moves toward her mother while she is on the ground and two officers are restraining her.
Police said a witness reported that someone in the group told the girl to "begin crying near the officers to manipulate the situation."
"The combination of the crying child with her mother on the ground being handcuffed created a dramatic moment that was carefully edited," the police department wrote.
The street vendor was cited for battery and obstructing a peace officer duties and was released at the scene.
The woman complained of experiencing pain and was evaluated by paramedics at the scene and cleared, authorities said.