Anti-Prop 8 march invades downtown San Francisco
An exhilarating bit of news was ignored by local media on Saturday Nov 15, 2008—victim of editorial cut-off times on an exquisite Saturday perhaps? After a City Hall rally in which voices of inspiration, tolerance, love and inclusion were raised in opposition to the passing of Proposition 8, a contingent of anti-Prop 8 marchers took their message throughout key tourist thoroughfares downtown, clogging traffic and giving visitors a true taste of San Francisco.
According to the SF Chronicle, the march headed up Market Street and was turned around at Church Street where, presumably it fizzled:
The rally was followed by an impromptu, festive march toward the Castro by about 1,000 people. When police turned the marchers back at Church Street, they walked to Union Square, snarling traffic on Market Street. Source
HOWEVER…
market & powell
The march didn’t fizzle. It headed dead-center down Market Street and spilled onto the cable car turnaround at Powell and Market, where streams of visitors lined Powell street gawking and in some cases applauding as cable cars sat unmoving and street traffic came to a halt.
cable car turnaround
Next stop: Union Square
post street
spilling through the plaza
A shout out for the ladies at Alexandra Bridal
some of the many wonderful supporters along the way: hey brides, shop there!
To the mighty waterfront (aka Kansas on the Bay)
San Francisco has always been a place that appreciated its tourists and visitors. Unlike the inhabitants of Sodom & Gomorrha, whose greatest sin was a lack of hospitality, San Franciscans welcome our guests wholeheartedly and always like to give them a little something to take home with them.
fishermans wharf
pier 39
shades of sodom & gomorrah: horrified onlookers on the Embarcadero
Single file between the cars…
Nobody likes to sit in traffic any less than I do. Guaranteed. So while I sympathize with the taxi drivers, delivery drivers, party-goers and anybody else who got held up along the Embarcadero on Saturday, my heart goes out to those who sat patiently and offered waves, honks, cheers and high-fives of support.
tying up traffic for a cause
supporters on the embarcadero
To the Ferry Building then home…
The march consisted of probably a few hundred people. Being one of the marchers, and not a professional people counter, I don’t know exactly how many. By the time the procession ended up back on Market Street and turned into Civic Center plaza, Arvin and I dropped off.
looking back towards the wharf
to the ferry building
back up market st to civic center
The struggle goes on…
into the sun
Coast to Coast
Yesterday’s events were part of a nationwide day of action protesting the passage of Prop 8. JoinTheImpact.com planned the nationwide protests. As best we could determine, Saturday’s post-rally march in San Francisco was an unsanctioned, impromptu act of civil disobedience and love.