BART Protesters Shut Station

New BART protests yesterday sparked another confrontation with San Francisco riot cops and shut down a key station. At least 50 protesters marched on downtown Powell Station, forcing the station to close over rush hour, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. Shouting "No justice, no peace," protesters screamed at and tussled with police, and up to 30 people were arrested for disturbing the safe operation of a railroad.

"I think they are really being inconsiderate," said one commuter who argued with the demonstrators. "They are abridging other people's rights by crowding the fare gates and not letting other people move about." The protesters were demonstrating against the shooting death by a BART police officer of a homeless man earlier this summer, as well as a move by transit officials to shut down cell phone service on the system during a planned protest on BART last month. (More BART stories.)