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Prop 8 Trial Judge Is Gay; Should This Matter?
credit: Frankie Frankeny and Chloe Harris
The intersection at "Grove and Van Ness [is] corked by 200 protesters, more coming from civic center," says Jim Herd who is live on the scene. Traffic is blocked as far as he can see. Cops are on the scene now. As we already mentioned, there is "lots of screaming at Civic Center plaza...[t]he goal, it seems, is to block all lanes of traffic." The protesters, according to a hurried KRON 4 reporter, plan top stay until they are arrested. (For more updates on what's going on at Civic Center, go here.)
The California State Supreme Court, for those of you just tuning in, ruled to uphold prop 8.
But! Please remember that this is just one day, that same-sex marriage will be legal soon.
Update: 10:30 a.m.: According to SFist commenter FYoCouch247, "Police deploying behind City Hall. Marchers have locked arms and will likely get arrested at some point. Avoid MUNI lines 47, 49 and anything on Grove. Hell, avoid all of the Civic Center if possible. McAllister is traffic cop moderated."
Update 10:45 a.m.: According to stop8dotorg, "Crowd very sad. Everyone in should attend tonight's rallies, happening all over country." We agree.
Update: 11:40 a.m.: stop8dotorg also says "Arrests starting in 10 mins say cops. Rumor is that people will be taken to Bryant St jail." Protesters are "singing" that they will not be moved. Oh, and check out SFAppeal's live blogging on today's ruling too.
Update 12:05 p.m.: stop8dotorg says "No arrests yet. Everyone just standing around, not getting gay married." Crowd chanting, ""repeal prop8! We will not be moved!," according to JustMarriedUs.
Update 12:14 p.m.: "They're starting to arrest people, first the priests, etc, in front with those fake white handcuff things. Everyone's pretty calm now, before it got intense with people yelling and singing, but now people are just clapping and cheering in solidarity," says SFA.
Update 12:35 p.m.: "Some police look almost as sad as the people getting arrested," says eyewitness FYoCouch247.
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They should be blocking traffic in the hillbilly burgs that passed this law. What's the point of protesting in San Francisco? Tie up traffic where it counts.
I totally agree. They should be protesting in Fresno and Bakersfield.
And Compton - 65% yes.
Sad day, but understandable. If they had voted to overturn it, then they would be saying that ballot initiatives, i.e. the People have no say in governance, that it is only the domain of judges.
Stopping traffic downtown will finally persuade San Franciscans to accept gay marriage.
Well played.
That'll teach us San Franciscans. You get 'em.
No one understands. The point is to get beat up by cops. Pictures of SF gays being beat up by cops will certainly convince all those rednecks out in the hinterlands to accept gay marriage.
Critical Mass Sucks!
Oh wait, wrong topic...carrion
Who in hell schedules a rally at 5 p.m. on a Tuesday? Don't people have jobs??
I can understand the rally, but locking arms and blocking traffic in San Francisco is just stupid.
People aiming for the first evening news shows?
People aiming for the first evening news shows?
Oh. OK, second question:
Who watches the early news???
The news stories will reach Bakersfield and Fresno. That is of course if they read, or even care anymore.
Read? That's precious. They don't read, they just watch Hannity, he tells them what to do.
Besides, they're too busy cooking up the meth, eating eyeballs and other important stuff.
They don't care much about what happens in far-off lands.
They care plenty about stripping far-off landers' of their rights.
The protest today took place in SF because the Supreme Court is in SF and the decision was announced in SF. Makes sense to me. There is an action happening in Fresno Saturday, so that part of the state is covered also.
Cops and protesters being highly professional. Protesters being arrested one by one, no struggles or arguing. Crowd is clapping along and singing happy bday to certain people. Almost a creepy jovial atmosphere. Grove is completely closed and police vans are in place to hall away people. Van Ness still shutdown and MUNI being rerouted around the effected area. Crowd has reduced down to less than 200 with almost as much spectators. Choppers are leaving the area as well.
Some police look almost as sad as the people getting arrested.
This will likely be wrapped up by 2ish
Don't forget, a march starts in front of city hall between 5/6p, so traffic will be more f'd, since people will be off work.
Just sent out, quite DUH at the moment via AlertSF:
Major Traffic Delays in the immediate area of Civic Center; Van Ness Ave both Directions between Golden Gate Ave and Hayes ST CLOSED due TO Demonstration ... Grove ST Also CLOSED between Franklin and Polk. NB 9TH ST drivers are not able to turn onto Hayes ST. MUNI Riders should expect delays and re-routes on lines in the Civic Center Area.
This pattern may repeat itself closer to 5PM, when another demonstration is planned.
If they were smart, they'd block the freeway onramps at rush hour.
"smart" as in "much bigger assholes".
Fortunately Courage Campaign and others are working on, for example, circulating petitions which will have a real impact on the issue.
Bakersfield residents do read; however, many of them have the reading comprehension of a 3rd grader. I have lived here for 20 yrs., and I am still amazed at the ignorance of many of the citizens. As many of you probably know, Kern County voted 75% in favor of Prop.8. I will never understand how so many people who have been discriminated against, such as Hispanics and Blacks, can justify using their voting power to discriminate against others just because they don't agree with their lifestyle. The religious right has done an excellect job brainwashing people into believing that gay people are deviant, and that they are undeserving of the same rights that all other Americans enjoy. What a sad statement the Supreme Court of California made yesterday when they told Californians they can strip away the inalienable rights of the minority simply because they choose to. I invite all people who believe in equality to join me and thousands of other Californians in Fresno at the City Hall on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. This is suppose to be the largest gay, lesbian, and straight gathering in California's history. It is time to make our voices heard in Sacramento. Who will join me?
Renee Wilson Bakersfield Resident