SFPD isolates group on sidewalk of Financial District at c. 4 PM

A smaller group of antiwar protesters had been marching back from the Embarcadero down Market. We turned from Sansome onto Pine toward Montgomery (in front of the Pacific Stock Exchange) chanting. Riot police, who had been following us, were on us within seconds and ordered the few who were not on the sidewalk already to get out of the street or face arrest. Everyone complied immediately. Within seconds some 50 police were ahead of us and just as many were behind us, blocking access and exit from that city block. This included passers-by who happened to be on the sidewalks.

They refused to let anyone leave the area (all, again, were on the sidewalks) for about 10 minutes.

The shaved-headed cop shown as part of the "red squad" elsewhere on this site and seen at all other arrests today and yesterday, went around taking pictures with his videocam.

Some of us made phone calls to Rep. Pelosi's office to demand that she call the Mayor. In one case we were transferred to the Mayor's office who advised us to drop the case.

After about 10 minutes (and some chanting about our rights) a policeman told us that we'd be allowed to go as long as we complied with traffic rules.

Several present were shocked beyond words.