The Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Police presence was heavy in, around and above the convention center hosting a biotechnology convention here Monday as authorities braced for demonstrations and protesters called to shut down the conference.
Helicopters swirled over the convention center and the major thoroughfare bisecting the three convention center buildings was closed and blocked by police and barricades.
Protestors said they will attempt to prevent conference attendees from entering the convention center Tuesday, the same day the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider Supervisor Tom Ammiano’s resolution praising the demonstrators.
“The department is prepared to keep the convention open and we will deal with any threat accordingly,” said San Francisco Police spokeswoman Maria Oropeza.
About 150 protesters taunted conference attendees Sunday as they arrived at an opening night reception a few miles from the convention center amid a heavy police presence. No arrests were reported as demonstrators held signs aloft and dumped rotten fruit and vegetables in the street before the police confiscated cases of remaining food without incident.
Many of the demonstrators are protesting the genetic engineering of food.
As an estimated 18,000 biotechnology scientists, executives and government officials are attending the 11th annual Biotechnology Industry Organization convention.