Occupy Oakland, Occupy Redwood City and Republican Spoofers Protest Romney Fundraiser

Demonstrators protesting at a Mitt Romney fundraising event in Redwood City, California on March 26th included many union workers, Occupy Redwood City protesters, and a group of San Francisco peninsula residents who mocked the Republicans arriving at the Sofitel Hotel. A small number of Republican dinner guests, some of whom had paid as much as $25,000 to attend, managed to make their way through the front entrance but most were blocked by protesters. Police had to reroute the Romney supporters, creating an embroiled traffic situation.

Protesters from Occupy Oakland also made their way across the Bay to join activists on the peninsula side. They inspired a group of spoofers dressed in faux fur, fake pearls, and business suits to shout to police, "Officers, can't you just arrest them or something? Really!"

The Raging Grannies and members of their Men's Auxiliary protested as “Billionaires for Wealthcare” in the street in front of the Sofitel. Faux Billionairess Bertha Gotrocks carried a bottle of champagne that her independently wealthy husband Chauncey Howard the III accidentally knocked over causing a loud explosive noise. "Heavens," cried Bertha, "with all the Secret Service around here to protect our candidate from this riff-raff, they might have thought a bomb had gone off, Chauncey. Now quick! Tell the police officer over there to clean it up...after all, they ARE on our payroll..."

The protest was organized by Occupy Redwood City and San Mateo Labor Council.

Top photo by Steve Rhodes under creative commons license of giant Etch-a-Sketch at the protest site.