Reuters. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in downtown San Francisco on Thursday (October 23) evening to urge continued vigilance and solidarity against deployments of federal agents to Democratic-led cities by the Trump administration.
The rally followed a surprise announcement from U.S. President Donald Trump and San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie that the president had agreed to cancel a planned federal surge. Trump confirmed the move on social media, citing calls from tech leaders and a personal appeal from Lurie.
Protesters chanted slogans and held signs in English and Spanish reading “Troops out of our communities” and “Protecting our neighbors,” as speakers from grassroots organizations condemned what they called the "militarization" of U.S. cities.
Shaw Shan Liu, executive director of Chinese Progressive Action, told the crowd that Trump's announcement "does not mean that our work is done. We stay vigilant."
Trump aims to deport record numbers of immigrants in the U.S. illegally, portraying them as criminals and a drain on U.S. communities. Democrats in major U.S. cities have criticized the crackdown, saying it has terrorized law-abiding residents, separated families and hurt businesses.
