Day of protest

Prop. 8 opponents rally across California to protest gay-marriage ban:

Expressing anger, disappointment and humor, thousands of gay-rights advocates marched across the state and nation Saturday in largely peaceful protests against California's passage of an initiative banning same-sex marriage.

In Los Angeles, protesters clustered shoulder to shoulder near City Hall before setting off on a downtown march, chanting and carrying rainbow flags and signs bearing messages such as "No More Mr. Nice Gay" and "No on Hate."
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The Los Angeles Police Department estimated that 10,000 to 12,000 people attended the event, well below the 40,000 the department had expected.

Still, demonstrators called the event a success, noting that participants had been galvanized by a loosely organized grass-roots campaign that sprang up after the Nov. 4 election.

"Considering it started on Facebook and became as organized as it was, it's pretty amazing," said Dave Coleman, 43.

A representative of the Proposition 8 campaign said the protests would have little effect. "They can protest all they like, and it doesn't change the fact that Prop. 8 has passed and the election is now over," said Frank Schubert, manager for the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign.

In San Francisco, a crowd estimated by police at 7,500 converged on the city's civic center, some wearing T-shirts emblazoned with "Milk," a reference to the county's first openly gay supervisor, Harvey Milk, who was assassinated 30 years ago.
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Demonstrators also gathered in Boston, New York and other cities across the nation, the Associated Press reported.

Across California, the rallies took on a carnival-like atmosphere. About 200 protesters gathered at Costa Mesa's South Coast Plaza. In Sacramento, police estimated that 1,500 marched peacefully on the Capitol…. (LA Times)

See also

Bay Area demonstrations condemn Prop. 8 (San Francisco Chronicle)
Emotion swells at Prop. 8 protest (Oakland Tribune)
Wealthy gay men backed anti-Prop. 8 effort (San Francisco Chronicle)