San Diego Police Change Tactics on Protesters

San Diego police changed their strategy and demonstrators changed their tactics on Wednesday, the second day of San Diego protests over the grand jury decision in Ferguson, Missouri.

Some 150 people gathered in Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park in City Heights and marched down University Avenue.

Demonstrators seemed determined to stop traffic on the interstates. But while police were patient with Wednesday night's march, that was one bit of civil disobedience they are not going to allow again.

The crowd was considerably smaller Wednesday night, but their voices remain strong.

Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park was the meeting place. The march itself went much further than on Tuesday night, all the way downtown.

Demonstrators chanted and held up signs as they walked. The California Highway Patrol and San Diego police blocked streets and stopped traffic to avoid accidents. Law enforcement was determined to keep protesters off the highways and ramps.

They closed the University Avenue on and off ramps, as well as the Interstate 805 entrance ramp until demonstrators were well passed them.

Wednesday's march included several children, some with their parents and some without.

While many of the demonstrators throughout San Diego and the country felt the grand jury decision was wrong, they were still supportive of law enforcement.

Some of the kids NBC 7 spoke with, though, had choice words about how they see police in their community.

β€œI see them not helping us, and they just want to do their thing," a 14-year-old demonstrator said.

β€œI think they are not doing the job. Just because they are part of the law doesn't mean they can avoid the law," said a 16-year-old boy. "They should be the exact same like us."

Besides traffic tie-ups, MTS bus service was at a standstill for a number of hours Tuesday and Wednesday nights along University Avenue.

MTS employees were spotted along their regular routes radioing demonstrators' progress so they could, as soon as possible, get buses rolling again.

The disruption affected has thousands of riders over the two days.

According to Facebook posts, organizers are planning similar rallies in San Diego through the holiday weekend.

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