Pacific Heights: San Fran neighborhood slammed after Black delivery man harassed
A video posted on Instagram page belonging to @lostsoulcouriercollective has gone viral. It shows how a White man, in an affluent neighborhood, harasses and interrogates a delivery man who is Black. He is seen repeatedly asking for the delivery man's proof of identity, despite being told by the delivery man that he is only doing his job.
The caption that was posted along with the video read "'John’ asks me to show I.D. while I’m delivering Narcan in Pacific Heights" and explained "For those who don’t know it’s reputation, pac heights is one of the most affluent, snobby, and white neighborhoods in San Francisco. It’s a neighborhood of old money, unlike the heavily gentrified neighborhoods where new tech money has displaced historically black and brown communities. Everyone who grew up here knows that There is an invisible line drawn on the corner of Fillmore and Sutter that separates pac heights from uptown Fillmore, a line which I rarely care to cross(because this type of thing is a common occurrence in my everyday life)."
The post continues to narrate what happened and read, "On this particular day I found myself on the wrong side of the line. I was doing a Narcan delivery (for the @the.d.o.p.e.project ) to the 2200 block of Clay street when a man called out to me from a 3rd story window. He asked me what I was doing, and I replied my job. He asked me who I worked for and I told him to mind his business. He then followed me to the halfway house I was delivering to and stood in my way as I tried to leave. I’ve never seen this guy before in my life."
In the video, we can hear the deliveryman ask, "Why do you think that I have to identify myself?" However, the White man in the video doesn't answer. Instead, he asks "Who are you with? Who are those addressed to?" During the altercation, the deliveryman was composed and he further responded, "It's none of your business." He also said, "Every time I come around here, motherf—s like you make my job harder."
In the caption, the deliveryman's perspective was further revealed as it read, "I posed no threat to his safety or his property. He threatened to call the cops on me, and after I talked some [sh*t] to him he admitted that it was an empty threat. He explained that things have come up missing in the neighborhood, so it must have been me who stole his [sh*t]."
He added, "I’m guessing that in his mind I had no right to be walking down his street, and I must be looking for something to steal. I have a strong feeling that he wouldn’t have harassed me of I was of a lighter complexion, but this is an everyday thing when you’re a man of color living in America. #alwayscarrynarcan #narcansaveslives #harmreductionsaveslives #narcan @harmreductioncoalition."
Since the post went live, there are over 130,000 views and many comments that commend the delivery man for being collected throughout. There were also others who confirmed that the neighborhood was toxic to deal with. One user commented under the video, "Your ability to remain calm I admire. I would have lost my job and smacked that phone out of his quivering little fingers typical rich white man attitude. Love you bruh. Messlife is the best life! Fuck a suit and tie…"
Another user wrote, "unfortunately, “typical white dude” is appropriate. This disgusting racist behavior is not ok. It shows pure ignorance." One user also stated that the excuse being provided in the video was not all there, and wrote, "I ordered a package, that’s why i came out of my mansion and demanded your ID after seeing you walking on the complete other side of the street” is the excuse of the fucking century."
One user shared their own experience of having done delivery in this neighborhood and said, "I used to make deliveries on that block. Not surprised in the least. Way to handle it, respect!" Another user shared, "Your poise and ability to remain calm. Im so sorry this happened to you. Thank you for speaking truth." Another popular comment in the section read, "Dude you ran him a new one! He didn’t even expect proper forceful effective communication... of course there’s a honey bear in the window!"