Anti-TPP Rally in San Francisco Pressures Pelosi to Take Bolder Stance

Nancy Pelosi, though invited to speak at a rally of hundreds outside her office in San Francisco's Federal Building, was busy with Michelle Obama in the city today. Her office told organizers that the House Minority Leader would not be able to step outside the building to address the crowd gathered to protest the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

Speakers from Food and Water Watch, Idle no More and labor groups addressed the group of about 250. Maira Sutton of the Electronic Frontier Foundation explained how the TPP endangers internet freedom and expands copyright penalties. For one thing the TPP, as drafted, regulates temporary copies. It treats temporary reproductions of copyrighted works as copyright infringement. The Raging Grannies opened the rally with songs protesting the new corporate attacks on democratically-enacted environmental and consumer protections.

Protester numbers swelled during a march down Market Street, eventually reaching an estimated 500. Nancy Pelosi has said publicly that she has concerns about the TPP. Rally organizers lamented that she continues to avoid taking the kind of bold stance against Fast Track and TPP that might make a difference in the legislation's chances.