More than 400 Protest Schwarzenegger's Treatment of Women

By Joshua Wachtel

Oct. 4 -- In a loud and energetic show of opposition, more than 400 protestors descended on Arnold Schwarzenegger's Santa Monica headquarters Friday evening to denounce the gubernatorial candidate's treatment of women.

Organized by the National Organization of Women and CodePink, the protesters who gathered outside the Republican frontrunner's office on 4th Street were roused by a show of support from passing motorists, who honked their horns and even waved signs. When a Big Blue Bus blew its horn, the crowd erupted into cheers.

Pictures by Joshua Wachtel

The protest -- one of many held across the state -- was staged one day after the Los Angeles Times published an article quoting six women who said Schwarzenegger had groped and humiliated them in acts that allegedly took place over three decades. The actor, one of 135 candidates in Tuesday's recall election, quickly apologized for his actions.

The protesters -- who also targeted Schwarzenegger for saying in a 1975 interview that he admired Hitler's ability to rouse an audience -- created some traffic of their own, walking back and forth on the crosswalk, with some dancing to the rhythms of the chants emanating from both sides of the street.

One protestor in the mostly female crowd, which included toddlers riding on shoulders and little girls barely old enough to hold their own signs, held up a sign that read: “Keep your hands off my breasts, butt, government.”

Mimi Adams, with CodePink, was dressed head to toe in pink.

“I think the whole thing is very sad,” she said about the recall. “Most of the things aren’t (Davis’) fault, and (Schwarzenegger) would not be able to get the legislature working, and he would be a puppet of the Bush administration and the old (California Governor) Pete Wilson administration.”

The protest also included people who weren’t members of any group. “He’s a symbol of what’s not right in this country,” Eddie Rios said.

Zina Josephs, who joined the protest after reading the Times' expose, questioned Schwarzenegger's short "phony" foray into California politics last year.

“In the last election [Schwarzenegger] got a lot of free publicity for backing an initiative for after school childcare, and it was never funded," Josephs said. "The only thing that came out of it positive was the publicity for him. It was as phony as his college degree.” Chants denouncing Schwarzenegger alternated with those opposing the recall. “Suddenly I love Gray Davis” read a letter-sized flyer distributed to those who didn't bring signs. The protest was not without an ironic sense of humor. The crowd's sentiment was summed up in a slogan yelled in unison: “Arnold. Pull out!”