About 25 protesters from the groups 'No Justice No BART' and 'Anonymous' marched along Market Street near Civic Center beginning at about 5 p.m. They led San Francisco police around the plaza then descended into the Civic Center BART Station. There they chanted and taunted BART police, but did not go through the turnstiles. Instead they marched from the Civic Center Station to the Powell Street Station and back and forth several times.
These protests have caused many BART commuters to adjust their Monday schedules.
"We allowed our people to let go a little earlier today. Our employees, probably half an hour earlier, to avoid this congestion," said Mohammed Kohgadai, owner of an engineering firm and a BART rider.
However, there was no congestion below ground on Monday. San Francisco police raced ahead of the group all evening to keep them from obstructing commute traffic on Market Street. At one point the group raced towards City Hall and there police blocked off the entrance. A supporter of Anonymous, Asa Dodsworth, says BART has still not fully addressed whether they will shut down cell service on another protest.
"They have not made a firm statement they will not do that. They are working on their policy. In my opinion, a policy could have been hammered out by now," said Dodsworth.
Dodsworth adds that the BART police shooting of Charles Hill, a homeless man, is also fueling these protests. BART says all these protests are taking their toll.
"So far the cost has been $300,000 and that doesn't include last Thursday's protest," said BART spokesman Jim Allison.
The protesters did not disrupt BART service this Monday, but they did cause some traffic jams along Market and Mission streets. No arrests were made Monday. Protesters have vowed to do this every Monday.
