See It, To Believe It

San Diego, CA — To San Diegans over 18, the curfew law passed by the San Diego City Council seems like a bedtime. But to those individuals under 18, the curfew is more like house arrest. To visually convey this point, the people protesting against the curfew in Mission Bay Park, will enclose themselves in chicken wire during Friday night’s entire rally.

“The curfew has turned all individuals under 18 into a second-class citizens and transformed their homes into prisons,” said Dave, organizer of the rally. “Under the guise of crime control, Warden Golding has sentenced people under 18 to a nightly prison term.”

The curfew law requires that citizens under 18 remain in their homes after 10 p.m. The government granted these individuals certain exceptions. These exceptions include, but are not limited to, being accompanied by an individual’s parent, guardian, or by a responsible adult. Citizens that are over 18 may travel freely without fear of criminal prosecution.

“Once again, the government is sponsoring discrimination,” said Dave. “About 35 years ago, the government forced black people to sit on the back of the bus. Now, in 1997, because of their age rather than their skin color, people under 18 cannot move freely at night.”

Dave said that he and the other protesters will not accept anything less than full repeal of the law. “If Mayor Golding offered to change the curfew to Midnight, that would be like allowing Black people in the 1960s to sit in the middle of the bus.”

“We will not stop rallying until all individuals are treated with respect,” said Dave. “People under 18 are being treated like second-class citizens. The chicken wire on Friday night will make that clear.” The rally will be held in Mission Bay Park, across from the Belmont Roller Coaster, from 10 p.m. to Midnight.