Police Raid Occupied SF Building

May Day protest in San Francisco included a rally and the occupation of an abandoned building

Police in riot gear are facing off with dozens of protesters who  occupied a building in San Francisco today.
    Officers armed with non-lethal pellet or bean bag guns were aiming  them at a protester who was throwing objects from the roof of the building,  located at 888 Turk St.
    The protester, dressed in black with a handkerchief covering his  face, was throwing what appeared to be bricks and metal rods into the crowd  of demonstrators, reporters, and police.
    At least one person in the crowd appears to have been struck by  one of the thrown objects.
    The occupation began when protesters who had gathered for a noon  rally at Market and Montgomery streets downtown marched to 888 Turk St.  afterward and began entering the building shortly before 3 p.m.
    The building is the same site, owned by the Archdiocese of San  Francisco, that was taken over by protesters on April 1. 
    Protesters removed a large wire fence in front of the building and  activists streamed into the building this afternoon, holding banners and  signs reading "May Day, Never Surrender" and "SF Commune."
    California State University East Bay student Erik Carson, 26, of  San Francisco said he was there to support the Occupy movement.
    "I don't believe anyone should be denied the right to housing," he  said.
    Police Sgt. Mike Andraychak said earlier today that the protesters  were trespassing on private property.
    "We've been in touch with the folks at the archdiocese. We're in  communication with them right now," Andraychak said.
    Two buses filled with officers in riot gear arrived at the  building at around 4:30 p.m. and dozens of officers have mobilized in front  of the building.
    At least two protesters outside the building have been detained.
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