A video posted on Instagram Monday shows a man wearing a San Francisco Public Works vest running full-tilt towards a hot dog vendor and flipping over his hot dog cart, spilling its goods onto the sidewalk.
The video showing the incident, uploaded by activist and project director Edin Alex Enamorado, took place near Pier 39, a popular spot for food vendors. It shows the food vendor pulling a hot dog cart and jogging away from a city worker, who is wearing a fluorescent vest.
The city worker chases down the vendor and flips over his cart, sending onions, bell peppers, hot dogs and buns to the ground.
The city worker then steps over the scattered produce, tossing a tray and pack of buns back onto the cart, before abandoning the mess he created.
It is unclear what precipitated the incident. Rachel Gordon, a spokesperson for Public Works, released a statement Tuesday confirming that the worker was a street inspector and saying the incident was still under investigation.
She apologized for the worker’s actions, however, and said the department “will take appropriate action” when the investigation is completed.
“We are continuing the investigation into the incident on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023,” it read. “While we are still looking into what led up to that moment and the events that preceded, we strive to treat members of the public with respect during permit enforcement operations. In this circumstance, we did not meet that threshold and we apologize.”
Vendor ordinances spearheaded by District 9 Supervisor Hillary Ronen in 2022 allowed for Public Works to enforce permitting against unpermitted street vendors, but guidelines directed city workers to ask vendors for proof of a permit, and to instruct those without permits on how to obtain one.
In 2022, Gordon said that “those selling goods in the public right-of-way without a permit are given an opportunity to pack up and leave.”
Senate Bill 972, which went into effect in January 2023, decriminalized sidewalk vending in California, with the exception of allowing city officials to “criminally enforce against food vendors operating on private property.”
The video shows the vendor operating on public property. It is unclear if the vendor was given the opportunity to pack up and leave, but city law does not allow for direct inference with the goods themselves, unless they are deemed to be stolen or illicit.
“We train our employees in de-escalation techniques with the goal of diffusing tense situations. In this circumstance, we did not meet that threshold and we apologize,” the statement continued. “Once the investigation is concluded, we will take appropriate action, in accordance with the City’s employee policies and procedures.”
This story has been updated with the Department of Public Works’ statement on Tuesday regarding the incident.
I’m not sure that area right there is actually public property- if I remember behind the barriers is Pier 39 leased from the port authority.
Port authority is a private corporation? It sure acts like it.
I believe the port is a part of San Francisco city government so it would still be public land leased to businesses.
There’s no excuse for violent behavior. I hope that dude is soon an ex-city employee.
At the same time, those hot dog/bacon/onion stands are so so nasty. If you’re an onion-hating vegetarian (c’est moi), they’re worse than second hand smoke. Can’t street vendors cook up ANYTHING else, ever? Full-on failure of imagination.
Agree that the DPW worker should be disciplined.
Now the hot dog, it’s so yummy!
Your argument is weak and off the mark. This poor vegan man doesn’t like certain smells…
It’s always the same story: “How do you know someone is vegan?” They will always tell you! (by virtue signaling their righteousness)
It appears that you are the one that needs to *cook up some other excuse*
Public health standards (handwashing stations, refrigerated perishable food items, etc.) would be a good start.
The hot dog vendors are under the thumb of organized crime (human trafficking, mostly).
I feel badly for the street-level guess, but telling brick and mortar operators to comply with an litany of regulations at the same time these street food vendors get a full pass is simply not ok.
hard for me to believe the DPW was enforcing a law at all…but there it is…
Not sure if the Port of SF qualifies as “public property” under the state statute, and there are still permitting requirements from DPH and DPW to meet standards for sanitation and food prep (if you’re cooking or preparing food, as opposed to selling packaged food). I’d like to hear SFDPW’s explanation for what I’m watching.
Right, behind the barriers, this man was clearly on public property. All of a sudden this whole thing got swept under the rug. What ever happened to the dpw inspector that pushed the cart over? Exactly, nothing, because he is white and he victim is brown. Why isn’t Rev Amo Brown speaking up to protect the street food vendor. Racist behavior.
What would Jesus do?
maybe it was an accident and not an on purpose. a lot of happenings are accidental and to a careless observer appear to be spiteful. what difference does it make? the scene looks like a subway opening in Mexico city with vendors all over the place. I had to tip toe to get to the downstairs and I walk with a cane. The world has too many people. get used to it. Thats why we don’t give peace a chance. if we did, where would we be?
The guy who flipped the cart over should be fired. But he won’t be, because he’s part of La City Familia, the mafia of city employees.
Bienvenido a México
First of all, the street vendors are harmless. Those people are just looking to make money to survive. Not everyone has a college education and can work in the Tech industry. I don’t see what the issue is, if people want to risk eating at those carts then it’s on them. But to have this worker just do that shit to him like that… nah, that isn’t right at all. Who the hell does he think he is? That is the exact way you don’t handle a situation. Some of these workers get besides themselves and step out of their pay grade. Boy they sure know the right ones to do that stuff to cause man oh man… I could only wish! I’m not one to eat off thise carts but him making money selling hot dogs is far better than him breaking into a car to steal a laptop to get money, wouldn’t you say!? Shit, pick your battles.
reserving judgement…pretty dramatic action to take especially in a world saturated with cameras…gonna guess there is a lot more to that story than a few second video.
Why isn’t his superiors addressing the residents? Why isn’t the mayor or anyone else addressing this? It seems they only care when big tech companies or rich people have issues they want to be addressed.
That is a shocking video. What a racist monster. Dox him now and Rachel, be prepared to pay big for one of your workers destroying personal property.
Welcome to London Breed’s San Francisco where “punching down” is a competition sport.
Wow, you just wrote a great ad for the upcoming mayor’s election. This will be one to see how progressive San Francisco really is.