SF's Pink Saturday Is Back On

San Francisco's often tumultuous Pink Saturday street party, held on the day before the Pride parade, was canceled last month after the withdrawal of its longtime sponsor, the Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence, who cited the event's "escalation of violence." But today the San Francisco LGBT Community Center stepped in to run this year's party with a promise of increased security. From their announcement:

We are honored and humbled to continue the legacy of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. We share their commitment to bringing together our diverse LGBT communities across age, race, culture, income and geography. As an affordable event that is well attended by young people, it is an essential component of Pride weekend. For many of us Pride weekend represents a set of magic moments where we are free to be our authentic selves in a public and supportive setting.

We are committed to community safety and creating public spaces that are free from violence. As Pink Saturday has historically been the destination for many of the tens of thousands participants of Dyke March as well as the Saturday Pride festival, creating a strong infrastructure for our community to gather is critical to the success of Pride weekend. Our leadership of a celebration that is safe, fun and welcoming for everyone is part of that vision. This year’s event will feature expanded entertainment and increased security to promote a celebratory and safe environment.

(Tipped by JMG reader Steve)

RELATED: Pink Saturday has long been criticized for its unruly crowds. Last year two Sisters were assaulted and two women were attacked by a group of six men. In 2013 a woman was brutally beaten and robbed during the event. Her attacker was later sentenced to six years in prison. In 2010, three people were shot and one young man was killed during a gang-related altercation on Pink Saturday.