Three Waymo robotaxis were vandalized in separate tagging incidents Saturday evening in San Francisco’s Mission district, according to a police report filed by the Alphabet-owned operator.
One of the incidents, caught on camera by the gang of vandals, went viral after being posted Tuesday to the Clown World X account. It shows a passenger in the front seat of a robotaxi, clutching a pup, who appears unfazed as members of the crew, some of them masked, tag the vehicle’s exterior. The passenger even checks the time on a wristwatch as if to say, “Aren’t you done yet?”
A Waymo car was vandalized while a passenger was inside in San Francisco pic.twitter.com/p2eP9p6gnd
— Clown World ™ 🤡 (@ClownWorld_) September 24, 2024
The first two incidents occurred on Mission Street between 17th and 18th.
At approximately 5:27 p.m., a group of masked individuals approached one vehicle. At least two vandalized the car, while others recorded the incident on cellphones, police said. A similar attack took place around 10 minutes later on the same block, with masked subjects surrounding another autonomous vehicle. Again, at least two individuals vandalized the car as others filmed, cops said.
The third took place at 6:56 p.m. at the intersection of 16th and Shotwell streets — about a five-minute walk from the prior two. A group approached the vehicle, and two carried out the vandalism.
Police are investigating the incidents.
The police report was filed online Saturday. Authorities have not released information about suspects or the extent of damage to the vehicles — but surely the Waymo, with its plethora of cameras, caught at least one good snap of the vandals?
Waymo’s press team has yet to release any information about the tagging spree.
The vandalism is by no means the worst thing San Franciscans have ever done to a robotaxi. In February, skaters set fire to a Waymo in Chinatown during Lunar New Year celebrations. Activist group Safe Street Rebel took to placing cones on the hoods of Cruise robotaxis in 2023 to protest the fleet’s arrival on city streets. Following that campaign, robotaxi operators hit back, claiming their vehicles are way mo’ safe than human drivers.