Sep 08, 2007Quickie Link: Gays Disrupt Unveiling of Pete Wilson Statue
By vanrozenheim
(USA) - A group of San Diego Gays, Lesbians and Transgender people joined some 300 Latino protesters Aug. 25 in spoiling a downtown ceremony to unveil a privately funded statue of former mayor, assemblyman, governor and U.S. senator Pete Wilson. The protesters banged on drums, shouted through bullhorns and chanted, "Tear down the statue, tear down the hate" and "Pete Wilson's gotta go: Racist, sexist, homophobe." Some local Gays have unpleasant memories of Wilson, a Republican, because as mayor of San Diego from 1971 to 1983 he refused to meet with them to discuss routine police bar raids in which patrons were arrested on "lewd conduct" charges for kissing or dancing with each other.
