Art Gallery Owner Who Hosed Down Homeless Woman Is Formally Charged

Art gallery owner Collier Gwin has been charged with misdemeanor battery after allegedly hosing down a homeless woman sitting outside his gallery.

A clip of the alleged incident went viral last week and reportedly happened on January 9 in San Francisco, California, outside his gallery, Foster Gwin. The video has been viewed over 12.4 million times and has been posted multiple times on Twitter.

Many social media users criticized Gwin and called for him to be identified and for police to pursue charges against him.

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced on January 18 that an arrest warrant had been issued for Gwin.

She tweeted: "Following the San Francisco Police Department's investigation and reviewing all the evidence provided, my office has issued an arrest warrant for Collier Gwin.

"Gwin is charged with misdemeanor battery for the alleged intentional and unlawful spraying of water on and around a woman experiencing homelessness on 1/9/2023."

She added: "The alleged battery of an unhoused member of our community is completely unacceptable.

"Mr Gwin will face appropriate consequences for his actions. Likewise, the vandalism at Foster Gwin gallery is also completely unacceptable and must stop, two wrongs do not make a right."

After the incident went viral on social media, Gwin did speak to local media to say how he felt about it.

Speaking on KPIX, he said: "What they saw is very regrettable.

"I feel awful, not just because I want to get out of trouble, or something like that, but because I'd put a tremendous amount of effort into helping this woman on the street."

He also spoke to ABC7 News not long after the incident had happened, and said: "I find it hard to apologize when we have had no help with the situation.

Days later, he did issue an apology, however. He said: "I am deeply apologetic and abhorred when I watch that video."

He added that he was "completely broke" due to his frustrations around what the city of San Francisco is doing with its enduring homelessness problem.

Speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle, Gwin has attempted to explain the incident beyond the viral clip.

He said that the homeless woman had turned over garbage cans outside his gallery and refused to move.

He told the publication: "I said you have to move; I cannot clean the street; move down.

"She starts screaming belligerent things, spitting, yelling at me.... At that point she was so out of control.... I spray her with the hose and say move, move. I will help you."

Newsweek has contacted the San Francisco District Attorney Office for comment.