The Bell Riots Have Arrived — Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
The Bell Riots are a fundamental event in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9) universe, depicted in the episodes “Past Tense, Part I” and “Past Tense, Part II” (season 3, episodes 11 and 12). Occurring in San Francisco, United States, from August 30 to September 2, 2024, the riots are led by Gabriel Bell, who becomes a martyr and a symbol of resistance against social oppression.
In the storyline, Commander Benjamin Sisko, Jadzia Dax, and Julian Bashir are accidentally transported to the past due to a transporter malfunction. They end up in a critical period of human history, marked by deep social and economic inequalities. During this time, marginalized people are confined in “Sanctuary Districts,” overcrowded and segregated urban zones where there is no access to employment, dignity, or human rights. The situation reaches a breaking point, resulting in the Bell Riots, when the residents of Sanctuary District A rise up in rebellion.
Gabriel Bell is an ordinary worker who becomes involved in the revolt to ensure that negotiations with the authorities do not result in more deaths. However, he is killed during the events, a fact that could drastically alter the timeline and the future of humanity. Sisko, realizing the historical significance of Bell, assumes his identity and ensures that the events follow the necessary course to preserve the unfolding of history and the future of the Federation.
The connections between the Bell Riots and reality are numerous and remain relevant. The story addresses issues such as social inequality, marginalization of vulnerable populations, ineffective public policies, and the dehumanization of impoverished communities — issues that are still present today. The Sanctuary Districts, which segregate the poor, are an extreme reflection of marginalized urban areas found in many cities worldwide, particularly in countries with significant economic disparities.
The Bell Riots represent a turning point in Star Trek history, as they are presented as the catalyst for social changes that eventually lead, over the following centuries, to the creation of a unified and more just Earth — principles that underpin the utopian philosophy of the United Federation of Planets.
