NEW YORK (WPIX)—
The decision by the California State Supreme Court to uphold Proposition 8, which bans same sex marriage, played out on the streets of New York City Tuesday.Hundreds of protestors marched and demanded the right for gays and lesbians to marry.
"This is racism," Ben Shepard told PIX News as he walked along the protest route with his daughter on his shoulders.
Lesbian couple Cathy and Sheila Marino-Thomas held the hand of their 9-year-old daughter Jackie and said Proposition 8 denies Gay and Lesbian couples their civil rights.
"If gays and lesbians in California are prevented from getting married," Sheila explained, "It affects us being able to be married."
Massive protests in California were held outside its State Supreme Court in Sacramento, shortly after the decision was handed down. Here in New York the protest began in Sheridan Square Park where in 1969, the Stonewall riots gave birth to the modern gay rights movement. From Sheridan Square Park, the crowd marched to Union Square where a host of city officials addressed the crowd including City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, an outspoken gay and lesbian advocate, who is openly gay.
"What the California State Supreme Court did was wrong," Quinn said. "There is no other way to say it."
