California State Senator Scott Wiener reported being forced to leave San Francisco's Trans March on Friday after a group of demonstrators confronted him over his stance on the conflict in Gaza. The incident occurred as Pride Weekend began in Dolores Park.
Video of the confrontation showed multiple individuals surrounding Wiener, shouting profanity-laced messages. One demonstrator, identified as Dimitry Yakoushkin, accused Wiener of supporting a "genocide" and stated he did not "belong here anymore." Another protester declared Wiener had "stopped being queer" due to his support for Israel.
Wiener, who has attended the Trans March annually since its inception in 2004, stated he was walking through the park to attend a trans-led Pride Shabbat service when the group approached him. He described their behavior as "physically and verbally aggressive" and said they made accusations about "Israeli handlers."
"They were so physically and verbally aggressive that it was impossible for me to safely remain in the park," Wiener said in a statement. This marked the first time in 22 years that he did not participate in the event, which has grown into one of the world's largest transgender gatherings.
California Senate leaders, including Senate President Pro Tempore Monique Limón, and members of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus condemned the confrontation. A joint statement from these groups asserted that Wiener had been targeted with harassment and deserved "dignity and respect," highlighting his 16 years of public service and advocacy for LGBTQ Californians.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie also denounced the incident, describing the language directed at Wiener as antisemitic and stating that "hate directed at a member of our community" is unacceptable.
U.S. Representative Kevin Mullin, D-Calif., commented that the confrontation exceeded the Bay Area's tradition of political protest. "There is simply no place for hate speech, harassment, and violence - in our politics or elsewhere," Mullin said. "No matter your beliefs, no one should be threatened or intimidated for simply showing up for their community."
In a separate incident at Dolores Park during the Pride Weekend events, San Francisco police reported five arrests related to alleged vandalism, obstruction, and assault, with two officers sustaining non-life-threatening injuries.
Wiener, a Democrat representing San Francisco, recently finished first in the top-two primary for California's 11th Congressional District, advancing to a general election race against San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan.