Protesters use scooters to block traffic in San Francisco's Mission

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Protesters shut down a busy intersection in San Francisco's Mission District by using a pile of electric scooters to block a bus carrying tech workers from passing through the area Thursday morning.

The activists entered the intersection at 24th and Mission shortly after 9 a.m. and stayed in place for nearly an hour. They claim the city cares more about tech companies than its own residents.

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"The exploitation of our people, our infrastructure, of our streets and of our labor, we really wanted to bring that up," said Maria Zamudio, an anti-displacement organizer in San Francisco. "Big tech is an industry... big tech is a corporation."

The city has seen tremendous economic growth in recent years, but some say that low-income residents are being left behind.

"These scooters have more rights than people who are living out here on the streets," said San Jose-based activist Andrew Lee.

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Protesters cited the scooters, as well as tech buses shuttling employees to-and-from work as examples of how the city is spending more time on programs that benefit the upper class, rather than solving issues such as homelessness and affordable housing.

"We need to have open arms for everybody that comes to our city, and everybody that lives here, and that includes people that live in our technology community, and every other profession in our city," said San Francisco Mayor Mark Farrell.

While today's disruption may have been an inconvenience to some drivers, protesters say it pales in comparison to what some of the less fortunate face on a daily basis.

"It's very disheartening, it's very concerning, and it inspires us to keep fighting," said Lee.