San Francisco streets became impromptu stages for illegal sideshows over the weekend, with several incidents reported both in the city and across the Bay in Oakland. Sideshow activity kicked off Saturday night, according to SFist, when cars were seen performing stunt-driving donuts at the intersection of 13th Street and South Van Ness Avenue just before midnight. San Francisco police were able to quickly disperse the crowd, but, true to form, participants reconvened at another location shortly after.
The drifting spectacle made its way to the intersection of Market and Castro streets, occupying the area and halting the 24-Divisadero bus for a short time. San Francisco police arrived after the fact, and it is unclear if any arrests were actually made. Over in Oakland, reported Henry K. Lee via X post, a sideshow gathered on St. Patrick’s Day near 7th & Park Blvd, where a local resident lamented they had to "quickly close to shut down windows and doors" due to the noise and smell of burnt rubber.
Sideshow activity at 7th & Park Blvd on St. Patrick’s Day (near Dave’s Grocery & Liquor w/green shamrock sign) “A normal thing these days to hear this garbage & smell burnt rubber just as I was settling down to watch a movie & eat some dinner, God bless Oakland!”witness tells me pic.twitter.com/0evkMJckQu
— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) March 18, 2024
The early spring weather seemed to encourage more such events, with a further report of sideshow activity on Sunday night in the Lower Haight at Pierce and Haight streets. San Francisco's sideshow trend has been on the rise in recent years, spreading from its more typical East Bay origins, as observed by City officials and local media outlets.
As the weekend progressed, more disturbances were reported, including a significant sideshow in Oakland involving about 50 vehicles, as recorded by the SFist at 98th Avenue and International Boulevard. This event not only displayed the persistence of the sideshow culture but also highlighted the challenges police face in responding to these quickly forming gatherings. A bystander who attempted to intervene in a sideshow last May was severely beaten, an incident underscored by the potential for violence at these gatherings.
NBC Bay Area reports San Francisco police are investigating the incidents, and they urge anyone with information to come forward. In light of these recurring sideshows, city officials and law enforcement are likely to seek new measures to combat what has become a dangerous and sometimes destructive trend in the Bay Area's urban fabric.
