San Francisco Police Take Action Against “Dolores Hill Bomb”

San Francisco police said Friday that officers intend to disrupt the annual “Dolores Hill Bomb” skateboarding event next to Mission Dolores Park on Saturday.

The event, in which skateboarders race down Dolores Street at high speeds while being watched by spectators along the side of the road, is usually held in San Francisco every second Saturday in July. It is an unsanctioned, unofficial event with no known organizers, said SFPD Chief Bill Scott.

To prevent the incident, a heavy police presence will be deployed in the area on Saturday, Scott said.

Last year’s mountain bomb caused controversy when the police arrested and brought to court over 100 adults and young people. A Lawsuit was filed later against Scott, the SFPD and the city for their response.

Scott defended the police response last year, saying violence against officers and the danger the Hill Bomb posed to the community were appropriate means of action. In the event of another potentially explosive clash between skaters and police, law enforcement said they would take action to protect themselves and the community.

“When confrontations occur, when things get aggressive and dangerous and rocks and bottles and explosives are being thrown at our officers, they put on their protective gear,” Scott said. “That’s what they should and are supposed to do. So if anyone thinks that’s wrong, I just don’t understand that, because our officers need to be protected. They come to work to do a job to keep the public safe, but we need to keep them safe too.”

Although there is an Instagram post saying the event has been canceled, the SFPD is still preparing in advance. According to SFPD, police plan to set up barricades on Dolores Street between 18th and 21st streets to block vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

The SFPD held a community meeting at Mission Station on Monday to hear the public’s opinion on the “Dolores Hill Bomb.” According to Scott, most of the speakers who were affected by the event were those who live and work in the area said they do not want the event to take place.

Police said they were stopping the event purely for safety reasons. Skateboarders riding down the hill without brakes and reaching speeds of 30 to 35 miles per hour can pose a danger to themselves and others. According to SFPD, the event has resulted in injuries, violence and even one death in recent years.

Scott said the police department has always been willing to work with the event organizers if they come to the negotiating table and get the event approved.

Police also urged parents of skateboard-loving teenagers to talk to them about the potential dangers of attending the event and the consequences of criminal acts.

“The San Francisco Police Department is not against skateboarding. They are not against people going out and skating in the city. In fact, we want people to have fun with their skateboards,” Scott said.

What the police department will not tolerate is “criminal activity, vandalism, assaults, attacks on officers, attacks on the public, unsuspecting pedestrians and motorists who are put in danger when these incidents occur and when they are unorganized, unlicensed, unapproved and without any rules. That is what we cannot tolerate,” Scott said.