Why Did San Francisco Police Confine More Than 100 Vehicles During Midnight Gathering? | Carscoops

      Officers checked every license plate and VIN number before allowing the cars to leave.

      6 hours ago

      by Stephen Rivers

      Police responded to an overnight car gathering and locked over 100 vehicles in a parking lot. Authorities detained everyone present to verify if any cars were stolen and to match license plates with VIN numbers.

      The situation sparked inquiries as police evaded questions regarding arrests and ticketing.

      California police may not always be recognized for their crime-fighting efficiency, but they implemented an unconventional strategy this time. During a late-night gathering of car enthusiasts, officers found numerous vehicles parked in a fenced area. What followed was that they locked everyone inside and proceeded to inspect each car.

      According to law enforcement, this was classified as a sideshow, despite occurring off public roads. The San Francisco Police informed Carscoops, “On 05/11/2025 at approximately 2330 hours, San Francisco Police officers responded to the vicinity of 3rd and King Street regarding vehicles involved in illegal sideshow activities. Upon arrival, officers observed that the activity had shifted to Pier 30, where over 200 vehicles were participating in a sideshow.”

      A spokesperson added, “officers made various announcements for individuals to disperse, however, many refused to follow the orders. Officers devised a plan and successfully cleared the cars from the Pier after detaining each vehicle for a records check.” This aligns with the accounts from attendees at the gathering.

      Video footage from the scene captures an officer addressing the crowd: “The gates will open. Line your cars up. You’re not going to be able to go anywhere. There’ll be patrol cars on your right and left. There will be spikes set up, so if you decide to take off, guess what’s going to happen… your tires will go flat. You’ll come through, we’re going to check your plate. We’re going to verify the plates against the VIN. If everything checks out, guess what you all get to do? You get to leave,” he says.

      Attendees Share a Different Perspective

      One account with video from the event claimed, “this was not a takeover event; it was a cruise that began in Redwood City and circled the Bay, ending back in Hayward.” This individual mentioned that when they arrived at the parking lot, some cars were already present with the gates open. Once the police arrived, they closed the gates and detained everyone until they could investigate for warrants and stolen vehicles.

      Police Avoid Critical Questions

      It is important to note that we found no reports of any significant consequences from the incident, so we inquired further with the SFPD. Specifically, we asked whether they made any arrests, issued tickets or warnings, or discovered anything illegal during the event.

      In their response, they avoided these questions, stating that “No subjects were detained during the incident.” While we are not legal experts, according to Cornell Law School, “in criminal law, detaining an individual means holding them in custody, usually for a short period.” If this is not what the police did, what then constitutes locking people in a parking lot? Unlawful detention would be a violation of the Fourth Amendment, indicating that the matter is quite serious.

      Additionally, the SFPD neglected to answer our question regarding what sideshow activities they witnessed. If all the police saw was a car meetup with cars neatly parked, then theoretically, the most they could enforce would be parking violations. It is also noteworthy that a video from the scene clearly shows some cars performing donuts in a large open parking lot.

      Whether this is the same lot remains uncertain. What is evident is that it does not resemble the typical street takeover scene we are familiar with. These vehicles are in a spacious lot without pedestrians nearby. Furthermore, it is crucial for officers to observe violations to enforce regulations; they cannot merely rely on assumptions or third-party accounts of events.

      Lastly, the department did not respond to our inquiry regarding their legal authority, either in theory or practice, to enforce laws related to sideshows on public roads when similar occurrences happen on private property. They did mention impounding one vehicle but refrained from elaborating on what led to that specific action. Typically, when a department conducts a significant operation like this, it is eager to provide details, but this instance has left us puzzled.

      Credit: Silent Rising