Sit-Lie Protest Finds City Hall Steps Barricaded

The Public Safety Committee of San Francisco's Board of Supervisors heard public comments Monday about the Sit-Lie law proposed by Mayor Gavin Newsom.

Earlier in the day, opponents to the proposed law who had filed a permit to protest it found that City Hall's steps had been barricaded -- meaning no one could sit, lie or stand on the city's finest public political stage.

The Sheriff's department told the San Francisco Examiner the barricades were set up because the steps, which hold 150, were smaller than the estimated crowd for the protested.

When the crowd was smaller than expected, the barricades were removed.

Supervisor Chris Daly, who sits on the committee along with Supervisors Ross Mirkarimi and David Campos, argued during the hearing that the proposed law was simply a wedge issue being used to divide voters ahead of district elections in November.

Newsom has promised to put the issue on the ballot if the supervisors don't pass the law.

Jackson West figures Daly, Mirkarimi and Campos could just kill it in committee and spare the political capital of the larger progressive majority.