Police Chief Bill Scott, speaking into a mic at the Dolores Park hill bomb meeting on July 2, 2024, sitting next to Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. Photo by Joe Rivano Barros.
Officials said they were waiting for a skateboarding leader to officially pull a permit, and no one stepped up. Breetwor said he does not have the means to pull a permit and plan the event, but larger skateboard companies do and none came forward. The meeting, attended by several dozen neighbors, skaters, and other community members, was billed as a listening session by Police Chief Bill Scott, who sat on stage alongside Assistant Chief David Lazar, Mission Station Captain Thomas Harvey, and Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who represents the area.
Kenady, like many other neighbors on Monday, said she did not blame skateboarders but rather “bad actors” who engage in vandalism and violence, and she hoped last year’s arrests would not be repeated. “Prevent arrests, especially of bystanders and minors, and prevent this illegal event.” It was the first instance of the city proactively conducting public outreach on the annual event, and came days before it was scheduled: The hill bomb was advertised for this Saturday, July 6, in a post that garnered thousands of shares. But the skater who put the event online has since changed his mind.Still, that will not guarantee compliance.