San Francisco, CA – Today, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Mayor London N. Breed and Supervisor Matt Dorsey’s legislation to combat sideshows by increasing criminal penalties for people who plan and participate in sideshows and stunt driving. Mayor Breed announced the legislation in August at San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) Headquarters, among regional law enforcement leaders who discussed strategies to prevent and disrupt these automobile stunts in the Bay Area.
Sideshows are a regional issue in the Bay Area, with groups often moving from one city to the next over the course of one day or one night, meaning that regional coordination is critical to track and stop them from happening. These efforts will target sideshows involving cars in intersections as well as roving groups of dirt bikers who disrupt neighborhoods. The new legislation will create new penalties for those who are planning, assembling, and attending sideshows and other reckless driving events; it will also extend the amount of time a seized vehicle can be impounded.
So far in 2024, the SFPD has documented 15 sideshows compared to 72 reported sideshows in 2021 when the City saw a peak increase of reckless driving incidents.
“Sideshows are dangerous, disruptive, and illegal, and law enforcement agencies across the Bay Area need to work in close coordination to prevent and disrupt them,” said Mayor London Breed. “In San Francisco, we are working to meet this challenge by adding new technology and expanding on our enforcement strategies; changing our laws will allow us to both hold those planning or participating in sideshows accountable and send a message that there will be consequences when they come to San Francisco.”
“With the passage of this legislation, we are making it clear that illegal sideshows will not be tolerated in San Francisco,” said Supervisor Matt Dorsey. "I'm thankful to my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors for supporting this crucial piece of legislation that will make our neighbors safer for drivers and pedestrians alike."
Today’s vote, the first full vote by the Board of Supervisors, follows a special Public Safety & Neighborhood Services (PSNS) Committee meeting scheduled by Supervisor Catherine Stefani Friday last week where it passed 3-0.
"Sideshows are a serious threat to the safety of our communities, putting pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers at risk,” said Supervisor Catherine Stefani. I’m proud to cosponsor this legislation, which will give local law enforcement the tools they need to prevent and respond to dangerous sideshows, ensuring those who jeopardize public safety in San Francisco are held accountable."
The new legislation will establish the following new criminal penalties:
- Make it illegal to participate in promoting a sideshow.
- Make it illegal to participate in assembling for a sideshow. Those cars that block or obstruct streets to set up for a sideshow will now face criminal penalties.
- Make it illegal to impede law enforcement from doing their job to disrupt sideshows.
- Extend the amount of time the City can hold a vehicle seized in a sideshow beyond 30 days if the District Attorney is charging in the case and allows for the permanent seizure of the vehicle if there is a conviction.
The above crimes will all be misdemeanors, which is the highest penalty allowed under current state law.
“I want to thank the hard-working members of the San Francisco Police Department who put themselves in harm’s way when responding to these dangerous and unlawful gatherings,” Chief Scott said. “This legislation will give our officers additional tools to hold people accountable who engage in sideshows. Thank you to Mayor London Breed and the Board of Supervisors for passing this legislation.”
SFPD and partner law enforcement agencies across the region have been coordinated on expanded strategies to disrupt sideshows, including the use of drone and license plate reader technology and efforts to corral and track participants in sideshows.
When sideshows and stunt driving occur in San Francisco, officers prioritize stopping the illegal activity to protect the public. When possible, officers will arrest participants and tow vehicles as they move through the City. Investigators follow up with evidence collected during the events to identify participants, hold people accountable, and impound vehicles in the days and weeks after. Members of the public are urged to call 911 when they witness a sideshow and share pictures and video, which police use in their investigations.
The legislation will go in front of the Board of Supervisors for a second and final vote on Tuesday, October 1, 2024.
###