Large Crowd Of Anti-Trump Protesters Marches Through San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- On a rainy night in the city by the bay, the pain of many vocal San Franciscans over the inauguration of Pres. Donald Trump was expressed in chants, punctuated in some cases by tears.
"Trump is in office and it's one of the worst things that could ever happen to the world," said Paul Candler.
On Friday evening, flanked by police, hundreds of anti-Trump demonstrators made their way up Market Street toward the heart of the Castro District, and their protest grew louder as they progressed.
"He's taking us in a bad direction. He's taking us backward 50 years or more. That's why I'm here to stand up for the rights that we've earned and fought for," Candler told KPIX.
At 5 p.m., the demonstration began outside a Carl's Jr. restaurant at 10 United Nations Plaza to protest Trump's choice for secretary of labor, Andrew Puzder, who is also CEO of the restaurant's parent company.
By about 5:30 p.m., the demonstration had moved to the center of the plaza as thousands more people began pouring in.
"The person whose business we are outside of is the person who has been nominated as the secretary of labor. He hates the minimum wage, he hates labor unions and he hates the fact that workers actually have rights," Tim Paulson, executive director of the San Francisco Labor Council, said. "The person who could be in charge of the cabinet of health is against universal healthcare and wants to get rid of healthcare for millions of people."
Puzder has reportedly said he was against the American Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, and opposed efforts to raise the national minimum wage.
"We are going to continue to fight ... We're going to fight for healthcare. We're going to fight for civil rights, were going to fight for women's rights, and were going to fight for the right to have representation in the workplace," Paulson said.
By about 6 p.m., the thousands of people at the plaza began marching on Market Street, shutting down the main thoroughfare and several other cross streets as they headed toward the city's Castro neighborhood.
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