In a disturbing incident that unfolded during the Lunar New Year celebrations in San Francisco Chinatown last night, a Waymo self-driving car fell victim to an arson attack, prompting a swift response from local authorities and community leaders.
The targeted attack on the autonomous vehicle was condemned by San Francisco Supervisor candidate Sharon Lai, who emphasized that “hateful people shouldn’t overshadow the community’s hard work and stoke fear.” Lai praised the efforts of the San Francisco Fire Department and the SF Public Works for containing the flames and cleaning up the aftermath.
Expressing concern over the incident, Lai called on the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) to bring the vandals to justice and urged an expansion of community policing efforts. The candidate stressed the need to address such incidents without allowing them to overshadow the positive spirit of the Lunar New Year celebrations.
The gravity of the situation has caught the attention of the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, which shared the incident on social media along with a stern reminder of the potential legal consequences for those convicted of arson. The guidelines stipulate severe penalties, ranging from imprisonment to the death penalty, depending on the extent of harm caused.