Racist, Misogynistic Slurs Spray-Painted on SF City Hall

An unknown vandal scrawled racist, sexist hate words in spray paint on the front of San Francisco City Hall on Tuesday night, according to the mayor’s office.

An anti-Black slur and a misogynistic slur were each painted about 5 feet wide at the base of the arches above City Hall’s front doors.

Surveillance video of the incident has not yet been released, Mayor London Breed said at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. The San Francisco Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident.

At the press conference, reporters asked whether Breed thought the graffiti referred to her.

“I’m pretty sure I was the target. This is not unfamiliar to me. I deal with this every day,” Breed said. “Whether it’s things on social media as well as emails that I received that describe me as exactly what was on this wall, or even in front of my own home where there have been spray paint of such words, sadly, consistently.”

Breed added, “I keep pressing on by knowing I’m not alone. This happens to me. I’m the leader of this city, but it happens to other people here in San Francisco.”

She said she took heart from the San Franciscans who rallied to support Alamo Square resident Terry Williams, who received packages at his door with racist slurs, death threats, and a doll painted in blackface before his home burned down in a blaze.

“Oftentimes, this may be meant for harm and meant to tear people down. But from a situation like this what I see oftentimes is the very best of San Franciscans. People stepping up, providing their support, and making it clear that they can oppose hate in any form,” Breed said. “That’s why San Francisco is such a special and amazing place.”