An awakened San Francisco lawmaker has been criticized after pushing for legislation to ban store security guards from drawing their guns after a trans shoplifter was killed.
Dean Preston, attorney and member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, caused a stir when he spoke about the death of unarmed Banko Brown, 24, who was shot by Walgreens security guard Michael Earl-Wayne Anthony.
A murder charge against him was dropped after the city’s district attorney ruled that the murder was self-defense, as Anthony feared being stabbed.
Preston said: “Today I will be advocating to the Board of Trustees for legislation that specifically prohibits security guards from drawing their guns to protect property.
“Human life is more important than property. We need to change our local laws so that guards can’t take their guns out of their dens to protect property.”
He repeated his comments today, writing on Twitter: “Our proposal to resolve San Francisco’s strange and possibly illegal law that allows a security guard to draw his gun to protect ‘person and/or property’ should not be controversial. .’
The comments from the San Francisco legislature were met with backlash.
Dean Preston said: ‘Today I will be advocating to the Board of Trustees for legislation specifically prohibiting security guards from drawing their guns to protect property. Human lives are more important than property. We need to change our local laws so that guards can’t take their guns out of their holsters to protect property.”
San Francisco Board of Supervisors member Preston caused backlash after making the comments online following Banko Brown’s death
Pictured: Banko Brown who was shot during an altercation at a Walgreens store in San Francisco
One person said, “This is actually inciting theft.”
Another said, “In SF, they’re now called security guards,” while another agreed, “There won’t be any businesses in SF to rob any time soon.”
Other people online wondered if the lawmaker would be so brazen if his property was on the line. One person said, ‘Wondering what happens when they show up at his house? Hypothetically, of course.
“Does he have armed security or a personal weapon in the house?”
Another called for Preston’s resignation: “Glad to know that you still value the lives of criminals more than the employees and civilians who are violently threatened, harassed and assaulted for simply trying to work in a low-paid job or shop. without threat of violence. You should resign.’
And one person on social media added, “Thieves decide your property is worth more than their own lives. Why not actually prosecute thieves as a deterrent instead of trying to find new laws for law abiding citizens?!’
Others supported Preston. One person on Twitter said, “Great! This is just what California needed to put a nail in its coffin. Sign the law!’
Another said, “I get this, 100%. But why not also recognize that property crime in the Bay Area is an order of magnitude worse (car burglaries, shoplifting, etc.) than in most other cities?
And combine this legislation with other capabilities to enforce these property crimes? Life is most important – but let’s also recognize that property crime makes this city less livable for people and businesses.’
Security guard Michael Earl-Wayne Anthony has also spoken out for the first time after the ordeal.
Speak against The San Francisco standardsaid Anthony: ‘[I’m] am still working on it, still don’t understand and don’t have time to think.
“It’s not like I see this often. This is a life-changing case.”
Pointing to the pressures guards face during these kinds of confrontations, Anthony said, “This is important for more people to be more aware of,” he said. It happened too often.
“It’s a lot to deal with. It’s a lot of pressure. A person can only take so much. When you’re limited to certain options, something happens.’
‘Who’s behind me? No one. You are left with no support. It’s a frightening feeling with a lot of people around you.’
Floral tributes and candles were left in Banko’s memory
Brown was found with gunshot wounds and taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died after the incident.
Anthony was originally booked on suspicion of murder the following day, but was subsequently released without charge after District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said Anthony was in “mortal danger” and “acted in self-defense.”
The decision to drop charges against Anthony has angered protesters, and activists held up signs reading “Justice for Banko Brown” at a meeting of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.
A protester, identifying herself as Lia McGeever, burst into a scream over Brown’s death.
She said, “I hate a lot of people on this board for the reasons that led to Banko Brown’s death.
“There are a lot of performative people on this board who say one thing and support black people, homeless people, transgender people, and then straight up stab you in the face — be racist, transphobic, anti-homeless.
“I have not prepared words today. I just want you to feel our pain.
“So I’m going to spend the next minute screaming because that’s what’s going on here.
“That’s what the genocide of transgender people in this country, in this city has brought me to.”