A San Francisco firefighter and former candidate for supervisor has launched an online petition calling for Cesar Chavez Street to be renamed after actor and martial artist Chuck Norris, as communities across California grapple with abuse allegations against the labor leader.
Stephen Martin-Pinto, who ran for District 7 supervisor in 2024, promoted the effort on social media Friday, March 20, urging residents to support a petition addressed to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
“Please help us in our effort to rename Cesar Chavez Street to Chuck Norris Boulevard!” Martin-Pinto wrote. The post had drawn nearly 50,000 views as of Sunday morning.
The petition argues that “in light of the recent controversy around Cesar Chavez and his misconduct, many people in the community feel that his name is no longer worthy of recognition,” and proposes honoring Norris instead.
The effort comes amid a broader reckoning following a New York Times investigation that reported allegations that Chavez sexually abused women and girls during his leadership of the United Farm Workers.
Chavez, who died in 1993, has long been honored with streets, schools and public spaces across California.
In recent days, public officials have begun reconsidering those honors. State lawmakers have announced plans to rename Cesar Chavez Day as “Farmworkers Day,” while cities including Fresno have moved to remove Chavez’s name from streets. In San Francisco, the annual Cesar Chavez Day Parade has already been renamed the Dolores Huerta Parade and Festival.
Martin-Pinto’s proposal stands apart from those efforts, both in tone and in its suggested replacement.
Norris, the action star known for films such as “Delta Force” and the television series “Walker, Texas Ranger,” died March 19 at 86. Beyond his entertainment career, he was an outspoken conservative who supported Republican candidates, wrote columns criticizing federal overreach and abortion rights, and was active in evangelical Christian causes. He also backed President Donald Trump and backed efforts to expand gun rights.
That political profile makes it unclear whether a proposal to rename a major San Francisco street in his honor would gain traction in a city known for its liberal electorate.
Under city policy, renaming a street typically requires community input and approval by the Board of Supervisors, a process that can take months or longer.
There is no indication that city officials are considering Martin-Pinto’s proposal.