A riot nearly broke out at San Francisco's Civic Center on Friday after the organizer of a giveaway reneged on his promise to hand out $10 bills to the homeless.

More than 500 people -- some who had arrived before noon -- showed up for the 4 p.m. giveaway but walked away empty-handed. Joe Canada, an artist from Novato, spoke to the crowd for about an hour but drove away before he or any of his 20 volunteers could hand out any bills. The size of the crowd might have intimidated him, police said.

"There were too many people," Sgt. Anthony Manfreda said. "He just got spooked."

The crowd saw Canada pulling away in his truck on Polk Street and began walking quickly toward the truck. The volunteers headed the people off and convinced them to return to the area near the entrance to the Civic Center underground parking lot.

The crowd began cursing and yelling at Canada and his volunteers.

"This was just a great big joke on us," Steve Hunt said. "He better not show his face here again."

Rodney Brown, 50, said he sensed a mood change in the crowd as the temperature dropped and the winds whipped the Civic Center flags.

"I knew when it got darker, there was less of a chance that the money would come," he said. "The more people wait, the more unruly they get."

Canada had given out thousands of dollars at similar giveaways on Wednesday and Thursday, according to Lucky Jones, one of the volunteers.

Jones said Canada, who himself was once homeless, wants to give people on the streets a sense of hope.

"He wants the community to know that he's with them," Jones said.

Manfreda said that about 150 people received money on Thursday, but that nobody expected Friday's large crowd.

The Thursday crowd "was peaceful," he said. "Today, it just got a little out of control. There's so many people, and now they're upset they're not going to get their money."

The crowd already was getting restless as Canada arrived at 5 p.m., about an hour later than expected. But people sat quietly around a square grass area near the parking lot entrance as Canada circled the area to give speeches to one section at a time. His topics ranged from his art to religion and to politics.

Canada even promised to spend the night outdoors with the homeless.

The crowd cheered at the end of his speech and many yelled, "God bless you, Joe." But the goodwill disappeared after the volunteers surrounded Canada and escorted him to his truck.

Many of the volunteers stayed to try calm the crowd. They huddled together a number of times before walking away toward U.N. Plaza at about 6:45 p.m., signaling the crowd to finally disperse.

"This is messed up," said Brian Boykin, who said he was going to use his money for a hot meal. "That whole time we sat listening to him, thinking we would get money -- and then nothing."



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Tonight on FOX: When Freeloaders Attack!

[nelson] Ha ha [nelson]

I love it - "How dare you not GIVE us free money!!!!!!"




CMOS

10 $ , = 2 botles MD 20/20

So let me get this straight....They nearly rioted because someone didn't give them money they didn't earn??

Cripes.

Ain't that just like the homeless?

Quoted: Ain't that just like the homeless?

$10 says the majority were not homeless. Just looking for free drug money.

It was very disappointing.

Quoted: [nelson] Ha ha [nelson]

These things happen!

All those freeloaders in one place and nobody took advantage of it?
A riot would be a good excuse to round them up and look for warrants.

Quoted: All those freeloaders in one place and nobody took advantage of it? A riot would be a good excuse to round them up and look for warrants.

The size of the crowd might have intimidated him, police said.

Hobophobia claims another victim.

This isn't going to help the local liquor stores any.  I wonder how many $10 bills were in their bank deposits on Wed and Thu...

Quoted: All those freeloaders in one place and nobody took advantage of it? A riot would be a good excuse to round them up and look for warrants.

San Francisco

I doubt the Lesbian-in-Chief would have approved.

Quoted: 10 $ , = 2 botles MD 20/20

bah!  $10 can get you seven or eight 40oz. bottles of olde englisk/mickeys/king cobra.


btw, don't you think in the time these bums sat around waiting for free money, they could've gotten themselves cleaned up at a shelter, found a job at a burger place, and made at least $30 or $40 by the time the day was over?

They should have met the homeless there with a bunch of buses so that they could be shipped to Mexico...you know, to return the favor!

Quoted: They should have met the homeless there with a bunch of buses so that they could be shipped to Mexico...you know, to return the favor!

+1

While I agree it's stupid to expect money you didn't earn, it's also stupid to say that your going to give people money and then not do it.  You deserve what you get.

They will stand in line all day for $10 but won't get a job to earn more.
Imagine if one day the welfare checks just quit coming !!

Quoted: All those freeloaders in one place and nobody took advantage of it? A riot would be a good excuse to round them up and look for warrants.

That sounds like a job for the Federal Bureau of Intoxication.