From Fog City News Journal
June 29, 2009
LGBT Activists Protest Newsom’s Budget,
Stage Pride Die-In
Protestors attempt to draw attention to Mayor Gavin Newsom’s budget cuts
which includes over $121 million in cuts to health and human services.
Photos by Luke Thomas
From Direct Action to Stop the Cuts, Coalition for Budget Justice, Coalition to Save Public Health
June 28, 2009
SAN FRANCISCO – On the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, LGBT activists and SF Pride-at-Work held a die-in at the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade today in front of Mayor Gavin Newsom’s float to protest his budget cuts to public health. Protestors lay down in front of the Mayor’s float to symbolize deaths that will follow from his defunding of HIV/AIDS services. The action was reminiscent of the ACT UP die-in’s of the 1980’s and 90’s which used civil disobedience to urge a co-coordinated response to fight the AIDS epidemic.
During the protest, Mayor Newsom’s vehicle attempted to plow through the protestors who held the space as he exited and walked down Market Street. The mayor and a small group of supporters attempted to dodge the protestors who performed several die-ins while chanting, “Newsom’s cuts are killing us.”
“Gavin and Arnold: There’s no Pride in your budget.”
