San Diego BioDevistation 2001 a success in spite of overwhelming police intimidation and harassment.
BoiDevistation 2001 was staged in spite of an overwhelming police force determined to not have another “Battle in Seattle” here in San Diego. Nearly every corner in the downtown area is stationed by a contingent of San Diego police, California Highway Patrol, San Diego County Sheriff, Harbor Patrol (in the bay), and numerous other local city police forces. From a secret command center the authorities conducted their “war games” with innocent, concerned citizens attending BioDevistation 2001 being the unwilling victims.
The intense media paranoia successfully kept crowds at the Sunday march and rally to about 1,000 or so participants. People in attendance reported being subjected to being shadowed by police, videotaped, followed and given motor vehicle citations for any minor infraction, detained informally, questioned and released.
In spite of all that concerned citizens were successful in exercising their right to free speech and letting the attendees of the biotech industry-sponsored Bio 2001 know that the opposition was alive and kickin.