UC Berkeley Professor Assaulted During SF Pride Event, Police Investigate Possible Hate Crime

An incident of violence marring the Pride celebrations in San Francisco has come to light as Damon Young, a UC Berkeley professor, was reportedly attacked while attending the Dyke March in Mission Dolores Park. Young narrated that the ordeal began as a joyous participation in the Pride festivities but concluded with him falling victim to an assault, which left him with a concussion, as reported by KRON4.

According to Young's account, the incident occurred around 6:30 PM, shortly after he had set off to take his dog home. He described being confronted by a group of people who abruptly assaulted him. "Before I knew it, I was on the ground, and I was holding on to the dog leash and a hot dog that went flying," Young told KRON4. He expressed disappointment at the lack of intervention or aid from bystanders during and after the attack.

Following the assault, Young, who is an associate professor of French and film media, endeavored to get help but found that his cell phone signal was inadequate to make a call to his boyfriend. In his dazed state, he managed to approach two firefighters responding to an unrelated call nearby, but did not get the assistance he expected. "They basically were dismissive and told me to find a police officer in the park," he recalled, per KRON4.

The San Francisco Police Department is investigating the incident to ascertain whether the assault was motivated by hate. Young reported the attack several days later and has called for the city to ensure greater safety at Pride events. "I just don’t think this should happen in San Francisco," Young said, per KRON4. The San Francisco Fire Department is also reviewing a complaint filed by Young regarding the response he received from their personnel. Meanwhile, the organizers of the Dyke March informed KRON4 that they had their own EMS staff in attendance, though they were unaware of Young’s attack.

The details of Young’s harrowing encounter were also independently reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, which included Young’s description of how the attack unfolded after passing a group he believed were in their teens or early twenties. "Every blow felt like it was doing more damage," Young told the SF Chronicle. His injuries were attended to at UCSF Parnassus, where scans confirmed soft tissue damage and hematoma swelling.