San Francisco’s business curfew won’t ‘make any changes’ to ‘slow down’ crime, owner warns

Residents and small businesses’ concerns are seemingly rising in San Francisco around a proposed law that forces a curfew on some of the city’s retail establishments.

“I do not think it will make any changes, closing two hours before or after four hours. Most of the activities that happen during the day will continue,” New Princess Market owner Willie Masarweh said on “Fox & Friends Weekend” Sunday.

“Those hours, there is a police presence that actually stops the people from committing the crimes of breaking into cars, breaking into stores,” he continued. “I think that’s the best solution for the crime to stop or slow down.”

Masarweh’s grocery and convenience store is located in San Fran’s Tenderloin district, which is the very neighborhood where the proposed business curfew may go into effect.

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Mayor London Breed announced the new legislation last week to put a curfew on a section of Tenderloin, which has become notorious for high crime, homelessness and public drug use.

In a press statement, the mayor’s office revealed that it would introduce legislation to “prohibit some retail establishments selling prepacked food or tobacco products from operating between 12 a.m. (midnight) to 5 a.m. in part of the Tenderloin.”

The mayor further touted on X: “Shutting down open air drug markets requires strong enforcement and new approaches… Last year SFPD doubled the arrests of drug dealers from the year before. This year we are continuing that work and federal agents are bringing even more enforcement.”

New Princess Market is located in “the center” of the problem. According to Masarweh, the curfew would cut off his clients who work overnight shifts and depend on his store to buy essential, everyday items.

The business owner claimed he witnesses burglaries, thefts and destruction of retail stores and cars as well as alleged drug activity at least once a week.

“If we have to close, they have to walk blocks in a dark area, in a dark region just to get access to their groceries,” Masarweh said. “Every corner, every store has two or three people working. They are friends of the neighbors. They are the people that they go to when they finish their work. They socialize where they do their shopping. If we close all these [stores], [there’s] no witness if there is any crime happening in that region.”

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The curfew proposal has reportedly been met with mixed responses from police and various business owners and residents of San Francisco – some claiming it could curb crime by eliminating potential crowds, while others say it’ll hurt bottom lines.

“As a business owner, if I see anything happen, any activities toward my business or my neighbor’s business, I will call the police. I am a witness to what is going on,” Masarweh added.

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Fox News’ Jeffrey Clark contributed to this report.