Hundreds rally in San Francisco over killing of Renee Nicole Good
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered Saturday afternoon outside a Tesla showroom near downtown San Francisco as part of multiple "ICE Out for Good!" protests held across the Bay Area. Protesters said they were demanding accountability following the killing of Renee Nicole Good by a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.
The rally took place near the intersection of Van Ness Avenue and O'Farrell Street, where demonstrators filled sidewalks and the center median, chanting and holding signs in what organizers described as a peaceful but deliberately loud show of dissent.
Protesters said the demonstration was meant to reflect democratic participation in its most visible form — expressive, passionate, and impossible to ignore.
Dan Hogan of Foster City attended the rally with his two sons, ages 8 and 12. Hogan said bringing his children to the protest was a way to teach them civic engagement outside the classroom.
"It feels good to be out here," Hogan said.
While acknowledging the subject matter was difficult for children, Hogan said the experience was necessary.
"Historically, this is how things change. It's through the direct action of sometimes not that many people, but a growing number of people who stand up against what's wrong," Hogan said.
His 12-year-old son, Quentin Hogan, said seeing the turnout made an impression.
"To see that people actually care about what's happening in this country. It has to be safe for everybody, not just us," he said.
Demonstrators argued that taxpayer money should not be used to harm or kill innocent people and rejected claims that the killing of Good was an act of self-defense. Several speakers and attendees said they believe Good was murdered.
"It was murder. She was driving away, she was trying to get away. He shot her in the face," said Spencer Pahlke, a San Francisco resident.
Another San Francisco resident, Magick Altman, echoed that sentiment.
"She's a woman, a mother, she was just in her car, and cold-blooded murder," Altman said.
Elisa, a Concord resident who asked that her last name not be used, said the incident reflects a broader sense of fear within communities.
"They feel like they can just shoot us. And that's not the America that I know," she said.
Many protesters placed blame on President Trump, arguing that his administration enabled violence through its immigration enforcement policies. Several demonstrators said they hope the protests represent a turning point for both democracy and decency in the country.
"The more of us do that, the more the people who enable Trump feel a little weaker, not so sure, 'should I follow those orders? Is that right, is that wrong?'" Pahlke said. "I think that if we all stand together, it shows the true principle here is on our side and I think it weakens his defenders and enablers."
Despite the anger and frustration expressed at the rally, Hogan said he and his children remain hopeful about the future.
"There will be more push back and it'll lead to some actual systemic change," he said.
Quentin Hogan said he believes change must come quickly.
"I think it needs to change and it has to change quickly before it gets too late and it's too big," he said.
Organizers said they do not want the demonstration to be a one-time event and hope the momentum continues. Additional protests are planned across the Bay Area next weekend, as demonstrators say they want sustained action to follow Saturday's turnout.