Marisa Rodriguez, executive director of the Union Square Alliance, a merchants group for the area, said that vandals broke into in the Westfield San Franciso Center mall and targeted Burberry, as well as Montcler, a boutique within Bloomingdale’s. Balenciago and Jin’s were two other Union Square locations also hit, she said.

SFPD was expecting unrest in the wake of the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict and had stationed extra officers into the night, Peskin said.

“This was bad elements using the Rittenhouse decision as an excuse for plundering San Francisco businesses,” he said. “It’s a lame excuse; there’s no justification.”

Videos posted to social media show crowds of people running out of the Louis Vuitton store on the corner of Geary and Stockton with armloads of merchandise that was allegedly stolen from the premises.

One video showed San Francisco police officers running after people, using what appeared to be batons to repeatedly strike the windows of a vehicle. Police could be seen pulling someone out of the vehicle and apparently attempting to cuff the person.

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San Francisco police told The Chronicle that officers responded to a report of “possible looting” and vandalism at retail stores in the Union Square area at 8:10 p.m. and said they saw “several suspects involved in criminal acts.” Police said they arrested multiple suspects.

“The police department did a great job and it could have been significantly worse if not for their presence,” Peskin said. “They made good arrests.”

“We are continuing to respond to other retail establishments where reports of vandalism are occurring,” San Francisco police said. “Additional officers are responding to the area and are mobilizing to address the fluid and evolving situation.”

Anyone with information should contact police at 415-575-4444 or may text a tip to TIP411 and start the message with “SFPD.”