Senator Bernie Sanders thanked a crowd of labor protestors Wednesday afternoon "for standing up, right here in San-Fran-Cisco," emphatically pronouncing each syllable of our city's name in his heavy Brooklyn accident — though not, perhaps, in the "caress" instructed by Chronicle columnist Herb Caen.

The surprise appearance from the Vermont Senator, which SFist noted yesterday, occurred outside 101 California Street near the Le Meridien Hotel. “I’m proud to be here with you to tell the Le Meridien to negotiate with our workers,” the Chronicle quotes Sanders.

The event, a demonstration of more than 500 protestors, was organized by two labor unions according to the Weekly, and 48 Hills has it that workers at the Le Meridian and also the Fisherman's Wharf Hyatt are fighting for a vote on a union contract.

Notably, Sanders addressed the topic du jour in San Francisco — our homelessness crisis. “Just been in San Francisco for a few hours, and it’s stunning to see people sleeping out in the street,” Sanders said.

The Marin Independent Journal reports that Sanders, who departed San Francisco for an evening stump speech in Vallejo, was met there by a crowd of around 10,000. “I think we’re going to sweep the West Coast,” Sanders announced. Among the usual slogan signage — "Feel the Bern" and "A Future To Believe In" was this local contribution.

Mac Dre, the stage name of Vallejo-born rapper Andre Hicks, was killed in 2004 during a Kansas City Missouri freeway shooting carried out by unknown assailants.

It is unclear what this individual hoped Bernie could do about the investigation.

Previously: Bernie Sanders Returns To SF To Speak At Union Rally