BIO Brings Out Protestors

Protesters promise that today (June 8) they will shut down the annual Biotechnology Industry Organization convention in San Francisco, though a heavy police presence has kept the proceedings incident free so far.

As an estimated 18,000 biotechnology scientists, executives and government officials are in town for the convention. Florida Gov. Jeb Bush planned to show up Tuesday, joining U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, as well as governors Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and Tom Vilsack of Iowa.

Many of the demonstrators are protesting the genetic engineering of food. In anticipation of their protest, authorities set up a network of metal barriers and policemen milled about the area with plastic tie handcuffs clipped to the back of their belts.

Earlier this week, about 150 protesters taunted conference attendees at an opening night reception a few miles from the convention center. No arrests were reported as demonstrators dumped rotten fruit and vegetables in the street before the police confiscated cases of remaining food without incident.

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