Scott Wiener, a California state senator and the leading candidate to succeed Nancy Pelosi in the House of Representatives, was driven out of San Francisco's annual Trans March on Saturday by pro-Palestinian activists.
Wiener, who is Jewish and openly gay and has championed LGBTQ rights legislation in California, was verbally abused by demonstrators who accused him of supporting "genocide" in Gaza.
Anti-Israel activists hound Jewish candidate at San Francisco Trans March
(Video: X)
The incident took place in Mission Dolores Park as Wiener was on his way to a Pride Shabbat service led by a transgender rabbi. Protesters surrounded him, shouted profanities and accused him of having Zionist and Israeli "handlers."
The confrontation was filmed by Dimitry Yakoushkin, who berated Wiener throughout the encounter. In the video, which has been viewed millions of times on social media, about half a dozen people are seen following the Democratic candidate, making obscene gestures and hurling insults at him.
At the beginning of the video, Yakoushkin praises Wiener's record on LGBTQ+ rights before turning on him for what he says is the senator's insufficient criticism of Israel.
"You do not belong here anymore, Scott,” Yakoushkin shouted. “I want to support someone who’s so positive on trans rights, but you’re a piece of shit on Gaza.”
Other demonstrators are also seen pursuing Wiener in front of stunned parade participants. One protester, wearing a face covering and a Palestinian keffiyeh around his neck, repeatedly makes an obscene gesture at Wiener while shouting profanities.
Among the chants heard in the video are: "F*** you and your Zionist handlers! F*** you and your Israeli handlers!" Another protester yells: "You stopped being queer the moment you started supporting Israel, you piece of s***!" Others chant: "Everybody hates you! Everybody hates you! Everybody f***ing hates you!"
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Scott Wiener, a California state senator and the leading candidate to succeed Pelosi in Congress, was driven out of San Francisco's annual Trans March on Saturday by pro-Palestinian activists
(Photo: from X)
Following the confrontation, Wiener left the area and decided not to participate in either the Pride Shabbat service or the march. He said it was the first Trans March he had missed since the event began in 2004, explaining that he feared attending would put both him and his staff at risk.
Wiener said the protesters did not shove or grab him, but did touch him several times. He said he intends to file a police report.
In a statement, Wiener said he has no objection to people disagreeing with him or protesting against him, but added: "I have no objection whatsoever to anyone disagreeing with me, opposing me, or protesting me. But when opposition and disagreement transition to harassment, including cornering me, touching me, or trying to physically bully me out of a public event, that crosses a line."
Yakoushkin, who describes himself as a 49-year-old "sexuality and intimacy coach" and political activist, rejected the harassment allegations. He argued that the incident amounted to nothing more than voters confronting a politician.
Other demonstrators are also seen pursuing Wiener in front of stunned parade participants
(Photo: from X)
"It’s unfortunate that he feels, like, physically intimidated by his constituents,” Yakoushkin said. “If that’s the case, you should probably look for a different job.”
Yakoushkin supports Wiener's rival for Pelosi's congressional seat, Connie Chan. He said it is up to voters whether to compromise, making clear that he would not.
The confrontation at Dolores Park came just days after another incident in which local activist Jesus Cuba confronted Wiener at a San Francisco bar while he was watching a soccer match, demanding that he say "Free Palestine" on camera. Cuba filmed the encounter and posted it on social media. Although bar staff removed him from the establishment, he continued shouting Wiener's name and banging on the walls outside for several minutes. Wiener said the activist cornered him and several young female staff members.
Wiener has become a focal point in the Democratic Party's internal debate over Israel. He has consistently supported Israel's right to exist and has received the endorsement of the pro-Israel advocacy group J Street. At the same time, he has sharply criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and opposed U.S. military aid to Israel.
Wiener left the area and decided not to participate in either the Pride Shabbat service or the march
(Photo: from X)
Even before the October 7 massacre and the subsequent war, Wiener argued that Netanyahu's policies were making both Israelis and Palestinians less safe while undermining international support for Israel as a democratic homeland for Jews around the world.
Pressure from within the Democratic Party peaked earlier this year during a candidate forum, when Wiener refused to agree when asked whether Israel was committing genocide in Gaza, unlike his opponents. Up to that point, he had described the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians as an "absolute moral stain" but avoided the term "genocide," arguing that the word had been distorted and that its use was traumatic for the Jewish community.
After the forum, his campaign faced growing internal pressure. His communications director, Eric Mabust, expressed support on his personal Instagram account for labeling Israel's actions as genocide. Shortly afterward, Wiener released a video in which he adopted the term for the first time, saying:
"The Israeli government has tried to destroy Gaza and to push Palestinians out, and that qualifies as genocide."
The dispute over the boycott of Israel prompted a mass departure of Jewish participants last year. In response, alternative events have been organized, including one by the group 'Shalom Dykes'
(Photo: NYC Dyke March)
Following the statement, Jewish organizations in California issued a sharply worded response, saying his new position was both wrong and lacking moral clarity. Wiener subsequently stepped down as co-chair of the Jewish caucus in the state legislature.
Nevertheless, critics on the left continue to argue that his use of the term "genocide" is politically motivated and that Wiener is "not progressive enough for San Francisco."
Meanwhile, in New York City, tens of thousands of women took part in the 33rd annual Dyke March, where anti-Zionism was formally adopted as a core value. Organizers said they oppose Zionist ideology, which they argue is used to dispossess the Palestinian people, and stated that anyone who identifies as a Zionist is not welcome at the event.
The dispute over the boycott of Israel prompted a mass departure of Jewish participants last year. In response, alternative events have been organized, including one by the group "Shalom Dykes," which is holding a separate gathering for Jewish lesbians.