Los Angeles News

LOS ANGELES (CBS) ― Gays, lesbians and supporters of same-sex marriage took to the streets again Saturday night, this time in Silver Lake, in what was possibly the biggest protest yet again against Proposition 8.

The estimated crowd of 5,000 began marching from Santa Monica Boulevard at Sunset Boulevard at about 7 p.m., Los Angeles police spokeswoman Norma Eisenman said.

The crowd grew to an estimated 10,000 people, many of whom carried signs proclaiming things like "Gay is good" and "Stop H8," as they walked west on Santa Monica. At about 8 p.m., the protesters reversed course and headed east on Sunset, back to Silver Lake, where they were expected to hold a rally.

Robin Tyler and Diane Olson, the first gay couple to get married in California last June, participated in the rally.

"We cannot save heterosexual marriage," Tyler said. "If you want to save heterosexual marriage you have to stop getting divorced."

A few counter-demonstrators opposing gay marriage also showed up, but early on the protest remained peaceful, Eisenman said. 

Proposition 8 supporter Larry Green held a sign that read, "Face it, you lost."

"I don't really believe that marriage is between a man and a man, or a woman and a woman," Green said. "They have the right to believe [what they believe], but so do I; And 500,000 more people voted like I did than like they did."

Groups represented at the march included the L.A. Coalition for Equal Marriage Rights, Roots Equality, Latino LGBT Coalition and Act Now to Stop War & End Racism, an antiwar and anti-globalization group that has become adept at staging massive marches and rallies.

Many gays have compared their battle for equal marital rights to the black civil rights movement of the 1960s.

"We are the last minority left," one protester said.

"They put a black man in the White House and left us in the dust," another said, referring to the election of Barack Obama.

About 18,000 couples got married over the summer, but on Tuesday, voters approved Proposition 8, which amended the state constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Following the election, Attorney General Jerry Brown said same-sex unions would be honored for now, but he also ordered county clerks to stop issuing marriage licenses.

Every day since the election, gays and lesbians upset over the outcome have been protesting throughout the Los Angeles area and the state.

Wednesday night, about 800 people walked from La Cienega Boulevard in West Hollywood to Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood and then back. Thursday afternoon, about 2,000 demonstrators massed in front of the Mormon temple in Westwood, then moved to the intersection of Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards in Beverly Hills, creating a massive traffic jam throughout West Los Angeles for evening commuters.

Friday night in Long Beach, 15 people were arrested for allegedly "inciting a riot," when three tried to lead groups of protesters away from the permitted route and 12 others led a group of about 100 protesters who
blocked an intersection and failed to disperse in response to police, according to Long Beach police Sgt. David Marander.

"We worked with demonstrators to help plan a peaceful event," said Marander, who added that officials were pleased with what was "by and large, a peaceful demonstration."

Advocates of same-sex marriage are especially angry at the Mormon church because its head encouraged members to contribute money to the "Yes On 8" campaign.

"No one's religious beliefs should be used to deny fundamental rights to others," Lorri L. Jean, chief executive officer of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, said earlier. "Our civil rights are inalienable."

Jean said Mormons -- at the urging of church President Thomas Monson --contributed more than $15 million to fund the campaign in support of Proposition 8.

"It is a travesty that the Mormon Church bought this election and used a campaign of lies and deception to manipulate voters in the great state of California," Jean said.

The Mormon church in Salt Lake City issued a statement denying that the church's opposition to same-sex marriage has anything to do with bigotry.

"It is important to understand that this issue for the church has always been about the sacred and divine institution of marriage -- a union between a man and a woman," according to the statement. "Allegations of bigotry or persecution made against the church were and are simply wrong. The church's opposition to same-sex marriage neither constitutes nor condones any kind of hostility toward gays and lesbians.

"Even more, the church does not object to rights for same-sex couples regarding hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment rights, or probate rights, so long as these do not infringe on the integrity of the traditional family or the constitutional rights of churches."

The day after the election, Catholic Cardinal Roger Mahony of the Los Angeles Archdiocese issued a statement thanking his parishioners for supporting Proposition 8.

"I am grateful to the Catholic Community of Los Angeles for your commitment to the institution of marriage as fashioned by God and to work with such energy to enshrine this divine plan into our state's Constitution," he said.

Mahony said support for Prop. 8 had nothing to do with discrimination against gays.

"Proposition 8 is not against any group in our society," he said. "Its sole focus is on preserving God's plan for people living upon this earth throughout time. The Catholic Church understands that there are people who choose to live together in relationships other than traditional marriage. All of their spiritual, pastoral and civil rights should be respected, together with their membership in the church."

About 70 percent of blacks and a majority of Hispanics also voted for Proposition 8, according to election officials.

As of 9 p.m. the Silver Lake crowd was dispersing, Eisenman said. No major incidents had been reported and no arrests had been made, she said.

However, reports from the scene indicated the dwindling crowd was getting more restive, and some might be headed to Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue.

Latino/a LGBT Coalition announced another rally beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday at Lincoln Park in East Los Angeles.

(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)