Heavy Gridlock Near Bay Bridge As Protesters Block Ramps, Streets
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Protesters in San Francisco disrupted traffic and tried all afternoon to get onto the Bay Bridge Saturday.
The group of white, black and brown demonstrators were protesting the disproportionate number of blacks killed by police officers.
There was an extremely heavy police presence throughout the city all day. Some officers were dressed in riot gear, the protest has been peaceful.
Demonstrators began blocking the Essex Street on-ramp to eastbound I-80 and the Bay Bridge, stopping Muni service on the No. 25 line to Treasure Island and at least some bus service to the East Bay.
Around 2 p.m., the protesters blocked traffic near Fifth and Bryant streets, forcing CHP officers to close the Fifth Street on-ramp to eastbound I-80.
That on-ramp reopened sometime before 3:11 p.m., according to CHP officials.
By 6 p.m. the crowd of about 150 people was taking a different tactic by blocking drivers from leaving the Bay Bridge.
The resulting gridlock looked more like a scene from weekday rush-hour traffic.
The Folsom Street on ramp was reopened at about 6:30 p.m. and traffic was moving onto the bridge from First Street albeit slowly.
CHP Officer Vu Williams said the protesters did not get on the Bay Bridge and at about 7 p.m. the protest seemed to be coming to an end.
The protesters also caused detours on the city's Muni bus lines 8, 30, 45 and 47, but those detours have also cleared, Muni officials said.
The protest follows another that was held Friday evening, in which hundreds of people marched from Justin Herman Plaza to City Hall to denounce police brutality in the wake of recent police shootings in Minnesota and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
