August 19th was the day that droves of GLBT couples were to walk into the San Diego County Administration Building and finally receive their marriages licenses. These would give them proof of their love and commitment for one another, but also written evidence that they were legally equal to many other Americans whom have had the right to marry for quite sometime.

Unfortunately, this should have been the day in which this could have occurred. A crowd of 50 or more protestors gathered at the San Diego County Clerk’s Office to protest a federal judge’s stay on the Perry v. Schwarzenegger ruling which found Prop 8 ‘unconstitutional’ and to demand marriage licenses. The majority of these demonstrators belonged to SAME, the San Diego Alliance for Marriage Equality.

However the word got out about this sit-in, whether through Facebook, flyers or word-of-mouth, and a crowd gathered inside to fight for their civil rights. Blocking the entrance to the clerk’s office, a crowd of 50 sat in wait, demanding marriage licenses.

Tony and Tyler Dylan-Hyde were one the couples that arrived at 8:00 a.m. at the sit-in hand-in-hand to demand their marriages license from clerk officials. “We believe that county officials and the Attorney General have the authority and the obligation to allow marriage licenses to proceed based on both federal court findings that Prop. 8 is unconstitutional and the governor’s filings in Prop. 8 cases,” said Tyler Dylan-Hyde. “We are asking you to do what’s right.” The couple urged David Butler, County Clerk/Assessor/Recorder, and office officials to issue a marriage license to them. But to no avail. The couple then left to try other legal procedures to receive their license.

The protest continued as a large crowd sat in front of the clerk’s office and refused to move. County Clerk Butler asked the crowd to move so that others may gain entrance to the office but the group refused, stating that they were protecting their civil rights. The group continued their sit-in, even after police deputies had asked them repeatedly to move.

A number of heterosexual couples had tried to enter the clerk’s office to receive their marriage licenses or ceremonies, but their entrance was blocked by the group who chanted, “We shall not be moved. Gay, straight, black white; marriage is a civil right.”

The sit-in continued as an estimated 45 police deputies in riot helmets were called in to arrest civilly disobedient protestors. These deputies informed the group that they would be arrested if they did not clear the doorway. The 9 that did not move were detained and taken away in plastic handcuffs to the San Diego Central Jail in downtown while the female protestors were taken to Las Colinas in Santee.

County Clerk Butler asked the demonstrators to move and refused to issue marriage licenses at this time. “We have to take a position of neutrality, no matter what our personal beliefs are. Our job is to uphold the law, but if the ruling changes, we will uphold that as well,” stated Butler.

The sit-in ended around noon in light of the arrests made. A follow-up demonstration was held later that day around 5:00 p.m. at the jail to protest the jailing of the SAME members and demonstrators who were arrested. The group demanded their immediate release. The protestors were released later that night to the applause of the awaiting demonstrators outside of the jail.