15 arrested in San Francisco at deportation protest

At least 15 people were taken into custody after blocking a major intersection in San Francisco’s Financial District as part of a protest against the Obama administration’s deportations of people who have entered the United States unlawfully.

The demonstration, organized by the San Francisco Bay Coalition for Immigrant Justice, formed a circle in the middle of the street at the intersection of Montgomery and Sutter.

The group says they were protesting because of the Obama administration’s record number of deportations, which is soon expected to reach 2 million since the president took office.

A national day of protests against the deportations is planned for Saturday, with further demonstrations expected throughout California – in San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles and elsewhere – as well as in other states.