The Federal court decision on California's Prop 8 was announced on August 4th. Judge Vaughn Walker ruled for the plaintiffs in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, the federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court that challenged the constitutional validity of California's Proposition 8. The plaintiffs sought to have the federal court strike down the proposition, saying it is contrary to the 14th Amendment's guarantee to equal protection

This landmark case was closely watched by gay rights activists and others interested in equal rights protections. Regardless of the ruling, few people think the battle is over. The issue of gay marriage will likely work its way up the federal judicial ladder and probably end up being heard by the Supreme Court.

Marriage rights activists held community gatherings throughout the state in response to the decision.

Video | Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | Court ruling online: Gay & Interracial Marriage Issues the Same | Bay Area Rallies Announcement

UPDATES: Prop 8 Stay on Gay Marriages Lifted...with a Hitch (8/12/10) | No Gay Marriages in California This Week, or this Year (8/16/10)

See Also: Beyond Gay Marriage: the mainstreaming of the Gay Marriage Movement