Scott Wiener cashes in after humiliating video being chased from San Francisco trans march

California state Sen. Scott Wiener’s marketing campaign obtained a serious fundraising increase after a viral confrontation at San Francisco’s Trans March that noticed the Democratic congressional candidate heckled, chased and surrounded by protesters over his stance on the conflict in Gaza.

Federal marketing campaign finance data filed Wednesday present he hauled in additional than $127,600 from roughly 1,090 particular person contributions in the course of the 4 days after footage of the June 26 confrontation unfold throughout social media, the San Francisco Commonplace reported.

The fundraising surge got here after video confirmed Wiener, who’s brazenly homosexual and has lengthy been one in every of California’s most distinguished champions of LGBTQ+ rights, being confronted by a protester who initially praised his file on transgender points earlier than accusing him of failing Palestinians in Gaza.

“You’ve been horrible, you’ve been horrible on Gaza,” the protester shouted within the viral clip. “You don’t belong right here anymore, Scott. And it breaks my f—ing coronary heart.”

Because the confrontation escalated, further demonstrators surrounded the senator whereas one particular person held a center finger inches from his face as Wiener walked away with out partaking. The protester who shared the footage later claimed on X: “Scott Wiener confirmed as much as the trans march and for the primary time we kicked his ass out.”

One other protester was heard telling Wiener he “stopped being queer the second he began supporting Israel.”

The incident rapidly exploded on-line, drawing widespread consideration properly past California. Protection appeared in nationwide and worldwide retailers, together with The New York Occasions, whereas Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was requested in regards to the confrontation throughout an interview with Fox Information.

“I feel there’s clearly a really anti-Israel and anti-American wave, and I feel they’re related,” Netanyahu mentioned after watching the footage. “These folks let themselves be swept by these irrational protests, and this very poisonous ideology. I don’t suppose it lasts.”

Critics of the confrontation described it as “menacing,” “humiliating,” “bullying” and “appalling,” with supporters from across the nation condemning the therapy of the senator.

The monetary impression was virtually instant.

Wiener’s marketing campaign had beforehand disclosed that the video prompted its largest single-day spike in donors since he launched his congressional bid, however it had not revealed how a lot cash had been raised.

“I’ve simply had a tidal wave, an outpouring of assist,” Wiener instructed The Commonplace shortly after the incident.

Based on his marketing campaign’s evaluation, 33.5% of the donations got here from San Francisco residents, whereas 50.9% originated elsewhere in California and 15.6% got here from donors exterior the state.

Amongst these contributing after the video went viral have been Anthropic engineer Wilson Berkow, who donated $999; developer Charles Gibson of TMG Companions, who gave $3,500; Berklee Faculty of Music professor Kevin Block-Schwenk, who contributed $300; and Roomily founder Jill Lindenbaum, who donated $250.

The marketing campaign additionally moved rapidly to capitalize on the eye by sending fundraising textual content messages after the footage unfold on-line.

The fundraising increase comes as Wiener battles San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan within the race to exchange former Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi in California’s closely Democratic eleventh Congressional District.

Each candidates superior from the June major, eliminating progressive rival Saikat Chakrabarti from the poll. Chan, nevertheless, has continued to construct momentum with the backing of Pelosi and just lately raised one other $100,000 throughout a fundraiser hosted by the previous speaker.

Marketing campaign finance filings present Chan raised simply over $400,000 in the course of the first six months of her marketing campaign and at present has about $362,000 money available, in contrast with roughly $1.2 million in Wiener’s marketing campaign account.

The Gaza confrontation marked the most recent twist in Wiener’s evolving place on the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Though the Jewish lawmaker had beforehand resisted describing Israel’s navy marketing campaign as genocide, he reversed course earlier this 12 months.

“For these of you who noticed the talk clip from final week, I need to make clear that I do consider Israel has dedicated genocide in Gaza,” Wiener mentioned in January. “To me the Israeli authorities has tried to destroy Gaza and to push Palestinians out. And that qualifies as genocide.”

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