According to a BART spokesperson, a demonstration planned for this afternoon to protest a recent BART police shooting is illegal and dangerous.
The demonstration, scheduled for 4:30-7 PM Monday afternoon at BART’s Civic Center station in San Francisco, was organized by activist group No Justice, No BART in response to the July 3 shooting of San Francisco man Charles Hill
The group said it is demanding that the BART Police Department be disbanded, and that both of the two officers involved in the shooting be fired and criminally charged if it is found that the shooting was not justified.
BART spokesman Linton Johnson told Bay City News’ Dan McMenamin that such a protest would be illegal.
“Disruptive protests like this planned one on small platforms with fast moving trains and large crowds are against the law because they put … riders, BART workers, journalists and protesters at serious risk of injury or death,” he said.
According to Oakland for Justice, “If Civic Center station is closed for any reason by the BART police, those of us who are able and have not been arrested will leave along with the other passengers in the station, walk to Powell station, and start taking action there. If Powell is then closed, we’ll walk to Montgomery or back to Civic Center. Etc.”
Protesters are, the site says, told not to “engage in anything more than passive resistance” and should not “deny passengers egress from trains or station.”
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