George Floyd protest briefly shuts down Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco - San Francisco Chronicle

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Part of the Golden Gate Bridge was briefly shut down on Saturday as thousands of people marched across it to protest police brutality.

People climbed the railings and filled the bridge as the march turned back to San Francisco after crossing into Marin. The scene was orderly as two trucks held off car traffic in both directions.

A city alert warned of “major traffic impacts to the area” around 2:15 p.m., around the time that protesters were partially blocking northbound traffic as police directed cars around them in the roadway and negotiated with protesters to leave. Soon the marchers moved off the roadway peacefully.

It was the ninth day of rolling actions across the Bay Area and nation sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. And it was far from the only protest in the area, or even San Francisco, where people gathered in the Mission District in the early afternoon, and authorities said around 3:15 p.m. that demonstrators were walking down Van Ness Ave. and drivers should seek alternate routes.

The protesters — who began in San Francisco, went across to Marin and turned around — chanted “black lives matter” and “hands up, don’t shoot.” Passing cars honked in support. Passengers hung out the windows of cars, with clenched fists raised and homemade sign proclaiming “black lives matter” flying in the wind.

One protester who gave him name only as Chris said he had come to “support the continued fight against injustice.”

“I’m just trying to be supportive,” he said. “Everybody out here matters.”

As protesters made their way across the bridge, it was hard to keep their distance, though nearly everybody wore a mask. One woman with a hand-drawn “police brutality is criminal” sign handed out surgical masks for the few that hadn’t come prepared.

The iconic allure of the bridge was not lost on protesters. Many still stopped to pose, with signs held high and the towers and bright blue sky as a backdrop.

“This is monumental,” said Bay area resident Ken Mark, 73. This was the third protest he’s attended.

Another protester, Tarryn Warn, 26, said George Floyd’s death “woke people up. ... It sparked something.” She said she wanted her future kids and grandchildren to see she and others were part of a movement and stood up to racism.

Nate Payne, 41, stood near the walking entrance to the bridge holding a sign portraying former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeling dressed as Captain America.

“I hope we can revamp and change laws together,” said Payne, who is black.

He questioned if protests would have erupted in the size they have had the coronavirus pandemic not swept the globe.

“Would people have cared as much about George Floyd without COVID?” He said, adding that without other distractions the issue of racial injustice may not have been able to come to the fore.

Police officers initially kept their distance from the protest at large, waiting in a nearby parking lot, even as the crowd continued to grow. But ultimately, as the protesters shut down lanes of traffic, they negotiated with them to reopen the bridge.

Chase DiFeliciantonio is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @chasedefelice

Correction: An earlier version of this article misspelled the last name of protester Tarryn Warn.

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