A group of about 10 protesters blocked the San Francisco Pride parade for about an hour Sunday.
San Francisco police said in a statement that the protesters blocked the parade route at 11 a.m. at Market Street near Sixth Street and that police attempted to contact them.
“The protesters broke down barricades and threw water bottles at officers,” the statement said. “Police took two people into custody during the incident. Information on their arrest is pending.”
Police said that after Pride event organizers made contact with the protesters, the protesters agreed to leave the street at noon and reopen the parade route.
CNN affiliate KBHK reported the protesters linked arms through pipes painted with the rainbow colors and lay down on the street.
A CNN political campaign producer at the scene said it appeared the group was protesting the police and that protest group members in the crowd held signs that said, “Death to the Police State” and “Police are Our Enemies.”
KBHK said the group reportedly was protesting Google’s involvement in the parade.
A contingent of Google employees petitioned the Pride parade to revoke Google’s sponsorship because of what they called hate speech on Google platforms, including YouTube, KBHK reported. San Francisco Pride declined to revoke the sponsorship.
US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris were approximately two to three blocks from the location of the protest.
The parade was held back a few blocks from the location of the protest. None of the spectators in the vicinity appear to be injured.
