City Leaders Denounce Bigotry After “Tax the Jews” Slogans Disrupt Economic Reform Announcement.
A press conference led by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie was abruptly disrupted when protesters began shouting antisemitic chants, including the phrase “tax the Jews,” according to reporting by the New York Post. The incident occurred during a public event promoting Lurie’s proposed tax reform legislation aimed at job creation and housing development.
The protest initially began with chants of “tax the rich,” voiced by individuals associated with a demonstration organized by the San Francisco chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. However, video footage from the event captured a woman shouting “tax Israel” and “tax the Jews,” escalating the rhetoric into explicitly antisemitic territory. A witness cited by the New York Post said the chants continued for approximately two minutes.
Mayor Lurie responded firmly, condemning the remarks and distancing the event from any hateful messaging. He explained that the press conference had been organized alongside Supervisor Mahmood, labor leaders, and dozens of workers to announce an economic plan focused on expanding employment opportunities and increasing housing supply for San Franciscans. Lurie emphasized that invoking stereotypes suggesting Jews are inherently wealthy reflects a long-standing and harmful trope.
He stated that targeting the Jewish community at an event centered on economic opportunity was clearly antisemitic and reaffirmed that hate directed at any community would not be tolerated in the city. Lurie added that such rhetoric does not reflect San Francisco’s values and asserted that the city must stand against bigotry.
The San Francisco chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America denied that the woman heard making the antisemitic statements was affiliated with their organization, despite her presence at the protest.
The incident follows heightened tensions nationwide since the October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel. On October 8, 2023, the day after the attack, a rally organized by the Democratic Socialists of America in Manhattan drew controversy when some participants chanted references to the reported death toll at the time and other inflammatory slogans.A press conference led by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie was abruptly disrupted when protesters began shouting antisemitic chants, including the phrase “tax the Jews,” according to reporting by the New York Post. The incident occurred during a public event promoting Lurie’s proposed tax reform legislation aimed at job creation and housing development.
The protest initially began with chants of “tax the rich,” voiced by individuals associated with a demonstration organized by the San Francisco chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. However, video footage from the event captured a woman shouting “tax Israel” and “tax the Jews,” escalating the rhetoric into explicitly antisemitic territory. A witness cited by the New York Post said the chants continued for approximately two minutes.
Mayor Lurie responded firmly, condemning the remarks and distancing the event from any hateful messaging. He explained that the press conference had been organized alongside Supervisor Mahmood, labor leaders, and dozens of workers to announce an economic plan focused on expanding employment opportunities and increasing housing supply for San Franciscans. Lurie emphasized that invoking stereotypes suggesting Jews are inherently wealthy reflects a long-standing and harmful trope.
He stated that targeting the Jewish community at an event centered on economic opportunity was clearly antisemitic and reaffirmed that hate directed at any community would not be tolerated in the city. Lurie added that such rhetoric does not reflect San Francisco’s values and asserted that the city must stand against bigotry.
The San Francisco chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America denied that the woman heard making the antisemitic statements was affiliated with their organization, despite her presence at the protest.
The incident follows heightened tensions nationwide since the October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel. On October 8, 2023, the day after the attack, a rally organized by the Democratic Socialists of America in Manhattan drew controversy when some participants chanted references to the reported death toll at the time and other inflammatory slogans.
DSA San Francisco denied affiliation with individual making antisemitic remarks
The disruption highlights the volatile intersection of political protest and antisemitic rhetoric, underscoring ongoing concerns about the normalization of hostility toward Jewish communities in public discourse.
