Protests against Proposition 8 supporters in California took place starting in November 2008. These included prominent protests against the Roman Catholic church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), which supported California's Proposition 8. The proposition was a voter referendum that amended the state constitution to recognize marriage only as being between one man and one woman, thus banning same-sex marriage, which was legal in the state following a May 2008 California Supreme Court case.
The highly emotional, closely contested nature of the voter referendum created a political maelstrom that was unusual in intensity for its time. After closely passing, the backlash from those who opposed Proposition 8 was widely covered by news media and was controversial. Anti-Proposition 8 activists looked up supporters in state-government-required donation documentation, then posted their names and personal information, and organized protests at their places of work. Several religious buildings were vandalized, and several Proposition 8 supporters received death threats, were mailed envelopes of white powder resembling anthrax, or lost their jobs. This method of shaming and forcing out Proposition 8 supporters was called a "mob veto" in a full-page advertisement in The New York Times, which was signed by law professors, diplomats, civil rights activists, and heads of religious organizations, while others cited concerns about bigotry against those with religious beliefs.
The ballot
Proposition 8 added "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California" to the California Constitution. Proposition 8 was the most expensive proposition in United States history and sharply divided social conservatives and social liberals, as part of the ongoing American culture wars. The ballot initiative was approved by a majority (52%) of voters. Immediately same-sex marriages were halted and the legal status of the 18,000 same-sex couples was thrown into question. Supporters of the proposition included a coalition of religious and social conservatives that felt the court ruling had redefined marriage.
Those opposed to Proposition 8 argued that same-sex couples deserved the same public recognition and marriage rights that other couples are afforded, and that equality could not be achieved without state recognition in the form of marriage. On November 19, 2008, the California Supreme Court accepted three lawsuits challenging Proposition 8 but denied the requests to stay its enforcement.
Candlelight vigils and pickets
As a result of the proposition's passage, there were organized autonomous protests directed against supporters of the proposition including marches, actions, vigils, boycotts, intimidation, and vandalism. The actions brought awareness to marriage rights issues for LGBT people and the role of tax-exempt churches in this political campaign. There has also been renewed debate in LGBT communities whether boycotting companies or organizations is an appropriate and effective response toward the proposition's supporters.
Many anti-Proposition 8 protests, particularly those targeting specific groups that supported Proposition 8, took the form of pickets or candlelight vigils. A candlelight vigil by about 600 mothers of LGBT children was held at the LDS Church's Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah, shortly following the passage of Proposition 8. A protest was also held outside of the Los Angeles California Temple.
Protests were held outside of Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles.