# Dozens Rally in SF for Billionaire Rights March
In a bold and controversial display amid California's escalating budget woes, a small but vocal group rallied in San Francisco's upscale Pacific Heights neighborhood on February 7, 2026, for the "March for Billionaires." Organized by Derik Kauffman, the event protested a proposed Billionaire Tax Act targeting the state's ultrarich, drawing about a dozen sincere participants and dozens of satirical counterprotesters waving puppets and mocking signs.[1][2]
March for Billionaires: A Protest Against the Proposed Tax
The March for Billionaires kicked off at Jackson Street and Scott Street, proceeding down Fillmore Street with speeches celebrating entrepreneurs and innovators. Organizer Derik Kauffman emphasized the rally's sincerity, framing it as a stand against a potential 5% one-time tax on billionaires' net worth—excluding pensions, real estate, and retirement accounts—to fund healthcare and food-assistance programs hit by federal cuts.[1][2] Kauffman highlighted contributions from figures like those behind Amazon deliveries, Airbnb, Google Search, Dyson vacuums, biotech firms like Moderna, Chobani yogurt, tennis star Serena Williams, and broadband chip designers, arguing these "risk-takers build our economy."[2]
Supporters of the march warned that the tax could drive billionaires and their businesses out of California, costing jobs and revenue. Governor Gavin Newsom has echoed these concerns, opposing the measure backed by the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, which needs 875,000 signatures by June 24 for the November ballot.[1]
Counterprotesters Turn Out in Force with Satirical Flair
While the pro-billionaire crowd numbered around a dozen, the event magnetized dozens of humorous counterprotesters who mocked the proceedings. Razelle Swimmer brandished a puppet of the Muppets' Swedish Chef adorned with "Eat the Rich" and knives, declaring billionaires don't deserve extra protections and that their potential exodus wouldn't matter if they refuse higher taxes.[1] Another participant donned a gold crown, waved a "Let them eat cake" sign, and shouted "Keep the poors away from me," amplifying the satirical tone amid California's homelessness and healthcare crises.[1]
The stark contrast underscored deep divisions over wealth inequality in the Golden State, where proponents of the Billionaire Tax Act argue it ensures the ultrarich pay their fair share to aid the majority.[1]
California's Billionaire Tax Debate Heats Up
The rally spotlighted broader tensions over the Billionaire Tax Act, a ballot initiative aiming to raise funds from California's wealthiest amid federal aid reductions. Critics like Kauffman and Newsom predict an exodus of talent and capital, potentially harming innovation hubs like Silicon Valley, home to many listed billionaire achievements from e-commerce to biotech.[1][2] Proponents counter that the tax targets only extreme wealth, sparing everyday assets and addressing urgent needs without broad hikes.[1]
As signature collection ramps up, the march—though small—has amplified voices defending billionaire rights in a state grappling with economic disparity.
Why San Francisco Became the Battleground for Billionaire Rights
San Francisco's Pacific Heights, a enclave of luxury amid urban challenges, proved a symbolic stage for the SF Billionaire Rights March. The February 7 event, promoted online as a call to "enlist friends" for greater impact, highlighted how tech moguls and entrepreneurs fuel local economies through products "millions freely chose."[2] Yet counterprotests reflected widespread frustration, positioning the rally as a flashpoint in national debates on taxing the 1%.[1]
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the March for Billionaires in San Francisco?
The March for Billionaires was a small rally on February 7, 2026, in Pacific Heights, organized by Derik Kauffman to protest a proposed 5% tax on billionaires' net worth. It drew about a dozen participants advocating for entrepreneurs.[1][2]
Who organized the Billionaire Rights March?
Derik Kauffman organized the sincere protest, emphasizing billionaires' economic contributions like Amazon, Airbnb, and Google.[1][2]
What is the Billionaire Tax Act?
It's a proposed California ballot initiative for a one-time 5% tax on billionaires' net worth (excluding pensions, real estate, retirement), to fund healthcare and food programs. It needs 875,000 signatures by June 24 for the November ballot.[1]
How many people attended the SF rally?
About a dozen joined the pro-billionaire march, while dozens of humorous counterprotesters showed up with signs and puppets like "Eat the Rich."[1]
Why do opponents fear the billionaire tax?
Opponents, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, argue it will drive billionaires and businesses out of California, costing jobs and tax revenue.[1]
Were there any notable counterprotests at the event?
Yes, counterprotesters included Razelle Swimmer with a Swedish Chef puppet saying "Eat the Rich" and a crowned man with a "Let them eat cake" sign shouting against "poors."[1]
🔄 Updated: 2/8/2026, 5:00:40 PM
**SAN FRANCISCO** — The 'March for Billionaires' rally, drawing only about a dozen sincere supporters on Saturday, faced a dramatically shifted **competitive landscape** overwhelmed by a few dozen satirical counterprotesters, including Razelle Swimmer wielding a 'Eat the Rich' Muppets puppet and a crowned man shouting 'Keep the poors away from me.'[1][2] Organizer Derik Kauffman acknowledged the provocation drew media attention but highlighted opposition to the Billionaire Tax Act, which needs 875,000 signatures by June 24 from backers like the Service Employees International Union to reach the November ballot amid warnings it could drive billionaires and jobs out of state.[1] Small business owner John Quillinan amplified the
🔄 Updated: 2/8/2026, 5:10:33 PM
**SAN FRANCISCO** — The 'March for Billionaires' rally on February 7 drew only about a **dozen sincere participants** opposing California's proposed Billionaire Tax Act, a 5% one-time levy on billionaires' net worth (excluding pensions, real estate, and retirement accounts), but faced a **competitive surge** from **a few dozen counterprotesters** wielding satire like Razelle Swimmer's 'Eat the Rich' Muppets puppet.[1][2] Organizer Derik Kauffman acknowledged the backlash amplified visibility, stating, *"I sort of guessed that it would be provocative,"* while counterprotester John Quillinan challenged, *"The fact that that is not acceptable to them makes me sick to my
🔄 Updated: 2/8/2026, 5:20:39 PM
**SAN FRANCISCO** – Expert economists warn that California's proposed Billionaire Tax Act, a one-time 5% levy on billionaires' net worth excluding pensions and real estate, could drive wealth creators out of state, echoing organizer Derik Kauffman's view that it threatens innovation hubs like San Francisco[1][2][3]. Industry backers, including the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, counter that the tax would raise funds for healthcare and food assistance amid federal cuts, needing 875,000 signatures by June 24 for the November ballot[2]. Small business owner John Quillinan voiced outrage at opponents, stating, "I would give up five percent of my net worth over five years to help my community... Wha
🔄 Updated: 2/8/2026, 5:30:43 PM
**SAN FRANCISCO** — A technical analysis of Saturday's "March for Billionaires" rally reveals its limited scale, with only **about a dozen sincere participants** marching from Alta Plaza Park down Fillmore Street to City Hall, dwarfed by **a few dozen satirical counterprotesters** wielding props like a Swedish Chef puppet emblazoned "Eat the Rich."[1][2] Organizer Derik Kauffman defended the event's provocative naming to spotlight opposition to the **Billionaire Tax Act**—a proposed one-time **5% net worth tax** (excluding pensions, real estate, and retirement accounts) needing **875,000 signatures by June 24** for the November ballot—warning it could drive billionaires, job
🔄 Updated: 2/8/2026, 5:40:39 PM
SAN FRANCISCO — A pro-billionaire rally at Alta Plaza Park in Pacific Heights on Saturday drew a few dozen supporters, evenly matched by journalists and about a dozen satirical counter-protesters dressed in formal wear staging a "March for Trillionaires."[2] Organizer Derik Kauffman insisted the event was sincere, declaring, "We must not judge billionaires as a class but by their individual merits... California is extraordinarily lucky that this is where people come to start companies and build fortunes."[1][2] The protest opposes the Billionaire Tax Act, a proposed 5% one-time levy on net worth (excluding pensions and real estate) that needs 875,000 signatures by June 24 for the November ballot.[1]
🔄 Updated: 2/8/2026, 5:50:39 PM
A small group of about a dozen supporters gathered Saturday in San Francisco's Fillmore District for a "March for Billionaires" rally opposing California's proposed 5% wealth tax, but the event was quickly overshadowed by counterprotesters who outnumbered them by several times.[1][2] Small business owner John Quillinan expressed outrage at the march, saying "The fact that that is not acceptable to them makes me sick to my stomach," while counterprotester Razelle Swimmer carried a puppet labeled "Eat the Rich" and declared "If they aren't willing to pay more taxes, then I don't really care if they leave."[1][2] Organizer
🔄 Updated: 2/8/2026, 6:00:40 PM
**SAN FRANCISCO (Breaking News Update)** – Gov. Gavin Newsom has publicly opposed the proposed Billionaire Tax Act, a ballot initiative for a one-time 5% tax on billionaires' net worth (excluding pensions, real estate, and retirement accounts), warning it "will cause billionaires and the businesses they own to flee the state, taking jobs and tax dollars with them."[1] The measure, backed by the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, requires 875,000 signatures by June 24 to qualify for the November ballot.[1] No city or state officials directly addressed Saturday's small rally of about a dozen participants at City Hall.[1][2]
🔄 Updated: 2/8/2026, 6:10:39 PM
**SAN FRANCISCO** – A 'March for Billionaires' rally on Saturday, drawing just **about a dozen participants**, faced sharp backlash from **a few dozen counterprotesters** mocking the event amid California's push for a 5% tax on billionaires' net worth to fund healthcare and food aid. Counterprotester Razelle Swimmer waved a Swedish Chef puppet labeled '**Eat the Rich**,' declaring, *"If they aren't willing to pay more taxes, then I don't really care if they leave."* Another protester in a gold crown charged through the crowd with a '**Let them eat cake**' sign, shouting '**Keep the poors away from me**,' highlighting widespread public derision for the pro-billionaire caus
🔄 Updated: 2/8/2026, 6:20:38 PM
**SAN FRANCISCO** — A 'March for Billionaires' rally on February 7 in Pacific Heights drew just **about a dozen participants**, far below expectations despite organizer Derik Kauffman's call to defend "entrepreneurs, innovators, and risk-takers" against the proposed **Billionaire Tax Act**—a one-time **5% levy on net worth** (excluding pensions, real estate, and retirement accounts) targeting California's ultrarich to offset federal cuts in healthcare and food assistance. Technical analysis reveals the rally's minuscule turnout signals weak opposition momentum, as counterprotesters swelled to **a few dozen** with satirical props like Razelle Swimmer's 'Eat the Rich' Swedish Che
🔄 Updated: 2/8/2026, 6:30:45 PM
**SAN FRANCISCO (Live Update)** – The 'March for Billionaires' rally in San Francisco's Pacific Heights on February 7 drew just **about a dozen sincere participants** protesting the proposed Billionaire Tax Act, a one-time **5% levy on net worth** (excluding pensions and real estate) backed by the Service Employees International Union, which must gather **875,000 signatures by June 24** for the November ballot.[1]
Opposition intensified as **a few dozen counterprotesters** mocked the event, with activist Razelle Swimmer wielding a Swedish Chef puppet labeled 'Eat the Rich' and declaring, *"If they aren't willing to pay more taxes, then I don't really care if they leave."*
🔄 Updated: 2/8/2026, 6:40:38 PM
A "March for Billionaires" rally took place Saturday in San Francisco, where organizer Derik Kauffman led approximately a dozen participants in protesting a proposed **Billionaire Tax Act**—a potential state ballot initiative that would impose a one-time 5% tax on the state's wealthiest residents' net worth to offset federal healthcare and food-assistance cuts.[1] The event drew several dozen counterprotesters, including one activist carrying a Swedish Chef puppet with a sign reading "Eat the Rich," who stated: "If they aren't willing to pay more taxes, then I don't really care if they leave."[1] Supporters of the tax measure, backed by the Service
🔄 Updated: 2/8/2026, 6:50:37 PM
**SAN FRANCISCO** — The 'March for Billionaires' rally, which drew only about a dozen sincere participants protesting a proposed 5% one-time tax on the state's ultrarich, faced a sharply escalated competitive landscape with a few dozen humorous counterprotesters on Saturday[1]. Organizer Derik Kauffman positioned the event against the Billionaire Tax Act, backed by the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, which must gather 875,000 signatures by June 24 for November ballot placement[1]. Counterprotester Razelle Swimmer waved a Swedish Chef puppet emblazoned "Eat the Rich," declaring, "If they aren't willing to pay more taxes, then I don't really care if the
🔄 Updated: 2/8/2026, 7:00:44 PM
**SAN FRANCISCO** — Public reaction to Saturday's 'March for Billionaires' rally turned sharply satirical, with a few dozen counterprotesters mocking the dozen pro-billionaire participants amid backlash against a proposed 5% wealth tax on the ultrarich. Razelle Swimmer waved a Swedish Chef puppet emblazoned with "Eat the Rich," declaring to the LA Times, "If they aren't willing to pay more taxes, then I don't really care if they leave."[1] One counterprotester in a gold crown dashed through the crowd yelling, "Keep the poors away from me" while holding a "Let them eat cake" sign, amplifying consumer frustration over billionaire tax exemptions as California grapple
🔄 Updated: 2/8/2026, 7:10:38 PM
**Global Impact Limited, International Response Muted:** The "March for Billionaires" in San Francisco, drawing just **about a dozen participants** on February 7, 2026, protesting a proposed 5% one-time tax on California's billionaires, has elicited no reported international reactions despite highlighting fears of a "near exodus" of wealth creators like Airbnb and Moderna innovators.[1][2][3] Organizer Derik Kauffman warned the tax could drive jobs and innovation out of state, but with only local counter-protests noted and no foreign leaders or outlets weighing in, its worldwide ripple remains negligible as of Sunday evening.[1][3] A counter-protester quipped, "I would give up 5% o
🔄 Updated: 2/8/2026, 7:20:38 PM
A "March for Billionaires" rally in San Francisco on Saturday drew **only about a dozen participants** despite organizer Derik Kauffman's attempt to highlight concerns about a proposed 5% wealth tax on the state's ultrarich.[1] The event quickly devolved into satire, with counter-protesters and onlookers expressing outrage—small business owner John Quillinan told marchers, "The fact that that is not acceptable to them makes me sick to my stomach," adding that he would willingly give up 5% of his net worth to help his community.[2] While supporters of the march argued billionaires' departure would harm California's economy, the gathering became more spect