Multiple protesters dropped to the ground on San Francisco's Market Street Sunday morning, halting the city's world-famous Pride parade for about one hour as they spoke out against police and corporations being involved in Pride festivities.
Linked with what appeared to be rainbow-colored tubing around their arms, the protesters around 11:05 a.m. lay down on the pavement near 6th Street, according to police. The protesters were requesting that the Pride celebrations be free of police and corporation involvement.
Police said the protesters "broke down barricades and threw water bottles at officers." At least one officer was hurt and two people were taken into custody, police said.
Taryn Saldivar, 21, of Oakland was arrested on suspicion of battery on a police officer, resisting arrest and interfering with a parade route. Kenneth Bilecki, 27, of Santa Rosa was arrested on suspicion of resisting arrest and interfering with a parade route., San Francisco police said.
The protesters on the ground eventually sat up and spoke with Pride organizers, agreeing to get up and leave the area, according to police. The parade subsequently resumed around 12 p.m.
Before the parade began, a contingent of Google employees petitioned the Pride parade's board of directors to revoke Google's sponsorship over what they called harassment and hate speech directed at LGBTQ people on YouTube and other Google platforms.
San Francisco Pride declined to revoke Google's sponsorship or remove the company from the parade, but Pride officials said the Google critics could protest the company's policies as part of the parade's "Resistance Contingent."
In addition to San Francisco, Pride events are taking place Sunday around the U.S. and the world.
The Associated Press and Bay City News contributed to this report.
