Street vendors in San Francisco's vibrant Mission District are taking to the streets in a fiery "direct action" protest to combat a 90-day selling ban that kicked off Monday. According to KRON4, the embargo on sidewalk sales has left many worried as the holiday season—a critical period for these micro-economies—begins. Vendor advocates are claiming the ban comes at the harshest of times, representing an existential threat to their livelihoods.

The Mission Street Vendors Association, speaking for over 100 vendors, is rallying at 11 a.m. at Mission and 24th Streets, as reported by NBC Bay Area. With only 48 spots provided for 116 permitted vendors at designated locations, the squeeze is tight. Vendors ready to rattle the status quo are reportedly willing to set up shop regardless, to showcase the depth of their discontent. San Francisco Supervisor Hillary Ronen has emerged as the target of the vendors' angst after pushing the ban, alleging it was due to safety and health concerns.

"I recently learned that DPW workers who enforce the law have been assaulted and had their lives threatened by individuals selling stolen goods on the street," Ronen disclosed in her newsletter, prompting the city's drastic response. The supervisor further highlighted safety, with Department of Public Works workers donning bulletproof vests amid escalating tensions, as per a statement by KRON4.

The proposed solution—transplanting vendors to 17th and Mission streets—is an ill-fitting Band-Aid for the cut at hand. Vendors at a rally voiced that their new spots are scant, cannot host everyone, and render their businesses vulnerable during the holidays. "We have exhausted every avenue to collaborate with the supervisor, but our pleas have fallen on deaf ears," Luis Lopez, a seasoned vendor and member of the Mission Street Vendors Association, proclaimed, highlighting the gravity of the situation, according to NBC Bay Area.