At the San Diego California Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, opponents of recently-passed Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage in California, gathered on Sunday for a peaceful demonstration.

The church did not have services at the time. Some San Diego police officers were deployed, and a church security guard also kept an eye on the premises to ensure that employees of the church were not harassed.

Protesters held banners calling the ban "hate", and were kept to the sidewalk, outside a gate to the church's entrance. While two people played drums in the background, some motorists who drove past the group honked their horns to show support.

Thousands of opponents have shown their frustration in recent protests held throughout the county since the ban was passed by voters. A large protest against the measure at the Mormon Temple in Oakland led the California Highway Patrol to close two nearby highway ramps. A patrol dispatcher said the ramps had been closed to protect pedestrians from traffic.

In Pasadena, the pastor of the 4,000-member All Saints Church spoke out against the measure, calling the religious community's support of it embarrassing.

In Orange County, about 1,000 advocates of equal rights for gay people fanned out along sidewalks leading to Saddleback Church, in Lake Forest. They were angered by the church's support of Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that voters approved Tuesday. The amendment overturns the State Supreme Court decision in May that legalized same-sex marriage.