Bay Area Supporters Rally in Defense of Christine Blasey Ford
PALO ALTO (KPIX 5) -- Supporters of Brett Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford gathered in her hometown of Palo Alto Thursday to rally for the university professor and other sexual assault survivors.
A similar rally was also held in Oakland, where supporters painted a massive banner saying "We Believe Survivors" and shared their own stories.
"For the Bay Area, we felt it was really important to send a message to Dr. Ford that we believe survivors and that she is supported here," said rally organizer Kimi Lee.
Interest was especially keen in her adopted home of Palo Alto, where the rally outside city hall included Blasey Ford's neighbors, friends, and people who see her around town and know her personally.
Many of her friends and supporters were also caught up in the emotion of the day, noting how Blasey Ford and her family have been driven from their home because of the national attention and threats they've received.
"We are here to bring humanity to this case. This is a woman, a friend," said supporter Chris Temassa. "And my hope is no matter the outcome that Christine gets to come home, that she gets to move back into her house. (voice breaks) I'm sorry. It's been a hard morning."
Mothers brought their children to the rally, and many signed a banner of support. A younger woman said she understood why Blasey Ford waited so long to speak up.
"I know people who have gone through cases in their freshman year and upon graduating from undergraduate school are not sure if it really is what they think it is, or if they should ever tell anyone about it," said supporter Sophia Mahoney-Rohrl.
One woman who thought she had seen it all said she was saddened by the process on Capitol Hill
"I felt a lot of pain for what Christine is going through," said a supporter Sharon Parkinson. "I feel very sad having gone through the 60s, I would have hoped by this time in my life that we would be past a lot of this."
