S.F. blocks trans activists bid to reclaim historic queer riot site

The San Francisco Board of Appeals voted 4-1 to deny an appeal by trans advocates seeking to reclaim the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot site from GEO Group, which has managed housing for formerly incarcerated individuals for three decades. While the board rejected the proposal, it expressed willingness to investigate the private prison operator’s land use, indicating that advocates’ concerns could be valid. Over 100 advocates attended the meeting to push for transforming the historic location into a community-oriented space within the Transgender Cultural District. Board member Rick Swig encouraged the Planning Department to pursue an investigation, potentially leading to enforcement actions. Dissenting member J.

R. Eppler supported the advocates and raised issues regarding the determination process's flaws. The board found no legal grounds to overturn the existing zoning classification, which advocates deemed inaccurate. The original Compton’s Cafeteria was the site of a significant riot in 1966, symbolizing queer resistance against police brutality. GEO Group's current operations involve prisons and immigration detention centers across the country, raising questions about their impact on community heritage.