Hundreds of invited guests gathered Thursday afternoon at San Francisco City Hall to pay their final respects to the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein during a memorial service.
Feinstein, a long-serving senator and political trailblazer, died last Thursday at her home in Washington, D.C., after a series of illnesses. At 90, she was the oldest member of Congress after first being elected to the Senate in 1992.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein memorial service at San Francisco City Hall
A memorial service for the longtime senator was held at 1 p.m. Thursday at the front steps of city hall. An expected 1,500 guests were invited. Late Wednesday, officials said the memorial service would no longer be open to the public due to increased security.
The Honor Guard at the memorial service included the San Francisco Police Department, San Francisco Sheriff's Office, San Francisco Fire Department, members of Feinstein's family, and office representatives.
A number of local, state and federal officials, including California's newly sworn-in senator, Laphonza Butler, attended. Vice President Kamala Harris, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and San Francisco Mayor London Breed also attended. Recorded remarks from President Joe Biden are also expected during the service.
The memorial service was previously scheduled to be held at the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center in the Herbst Theater.
Feinstein will be buried at a private ceremony with family after the service.
Mourners gather at SF City Hall to pay final respects to Dianne Feinstein
On Wednesday, mourners streamed into San Francisco City Hall to pay their respects to Feinstein, honoring her as fearless, smart and the glue who kept the city together after two political assassinations that catapulted her into the mayor’s office and the national spotlight.
Musicians played the violin and other string instruments as a steady line of people snaked into the rotunda, where Feinstein's casket was on display behind velvet ropes. People brought flowers that were later whisked away by staff, stood for a few seconds in contemplation or squeezed back tears before moving on to a side room to sign condolence books.
The senator's casket was ceremoniously carried Wednesday morning into the City Hall Rotunda by San Francisco firefighters, police officers, sheriff's deputies and park rangers.
Among the family members, coworkers and staff there were House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who approached and kissed the casket while holding the hand of Feinstein's daughter.
The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus also performed a final tribute.
Feinstein returned Saturday to her hometown for the final time when a military jet carrying the late Democratic senator’s body landed at San Francisco International Airport.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday selected Laphonza Butler, a Democratic strategist and adviser to Kamala Harris’s 2020 presidential campaign, to fill the vacant U.S. Senate seat held by Feinstein.
The Associated Press and Bay City News contributed to this report.
