Upscale Restaurants In San Francisco's Mission District Tagged With Anti-Gentrification Graffiti
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- Two upscale restaurants in San Francisco's Mission District were tagged this week with racially charged, anti-gentrification graffiti.
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Ken McCown, the general manager of Gracias Madre, on Mission Street near 18th Street, was busy Wednesday afternoon trying to clean it up. Across the outside menu board was scrawled "White people trying to be Mexican-F--k You."
"It's the first time that we've had any targeted vandalism for racial or gentrification issues," he told KCBS.
He called it disappointing especially since they have been at the location since 2009.
"We employ primarily Latin and South American people so we have always tried to be engaged in that community," McCown said. "If people understood who we are and what we stand for as an organization, the would think differently than that sort of anger."
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While manager Rodrigo Garcia said he understands the validity of the anger about what's happening in San Francisco, he says attacking the restaurant makes no sense.
"This is not the way because really every time you do something like that, you're impacting the people that you're claiming to be speaking for," he said pointing out that about half the staff were from Mexico.
Meanwhile, Salumeria, a deli on 20th Street, near Alabama Street, was also marked with the similar graffiti that said "Dear Hipster$ you still suck. Go home."
