Elsewhere: Lennar apology may be requested Ex
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors this morning revisited a resolution introduced last month demanding an apology from Lennar Corporation, the developer for the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, for what some Bayview community members have called “armed intimidation” and the resolution terms “irresponsible and potentially dangerous behavior.”
The event in question stems from a Feb. 18 meeting in the Bayview that resulted in a citizen’s arrest of Lennar’s armed representative.
More than 200 people, including children, school district officials and federal government employees, attended that presentation by the Environmental Protection Agency to discuss the draft report on asbestos air monitoring data from the shipyard site.
Members of the Bayview-Hunters activist group, POWER, said that a security officer representing Lennar signed into the event under an assumed name, was toting a loaded firearm without displaying required permits and did not have prior consent to record the event’s proceedings.
Local Nation of Islam Minister Christopher Muhammad said the officer, an ex-police officer, was not in possession of a permit necessary to carry a concealed weapon as a security enforcement officer. Although the security officer possessed a similar permit for carrying a concealed weapon as a retired police officer, Muhammad said it was not displayed.
The more than 80 community members from the Bayview who filled the board chambers for the 9 a.m. hearing today said they were “gravely alarmed” by the action at an otherwise peaceful presentation.
“His intent was non-peaceful, and I want you to view this as a non-peaceful act,” said long-time Bayview-Hunters Point resident Marie Harrison.
Supervisor Chris Daly is sponsoring the resolution, which was forwarded to the full board without recommendation.
The resolution states that the presence of the armed guard “sends a message to the community members of Bayview Hunters Point that is contrary to the values of the City and County of San Francisco, which uphold the right to organize and assemble peacefully.”
Nearly a month after the incident, Lennar wrote a letter to Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, whose district includes the shipyard site, and board president David Chiu.
In the letter, Lennar wrote that they “arranged for a security firm to send a representative to the meeting to take notes.” But community members said that sending an armed guard was “no way to build trust, relationship or mutual respect.”
The Feb. 18 event was hosted by the Nation of Islam, which operates the building where the discussion took place.
“You can be assured that we have no wish to escalate the atmosphere of blame and suspicion that led to this incident,” the letter concluded.
After listening to hours of public comment, the committee moved the resolution forward without recommendation to the full board, where it is expected to be heard next week.
A motion without recommendation means that some members of the committee, while not completely satisfied with the recommendation, did not want to stall its moving forward to the full board.
Public speakers said the incident is being treated too lightly by the board, and urged the supervisors to reflect on their duty as sworn officials representing all San Franciscans.
