More than 500 demonstrators turned out in Palm Springs on Saturday to take part in a rally coordinated at city halls nationwide to protest Proposition 8, the recently approved measure banning same-sex marriage in California.

As reported on mydesert.com, Saturday's event marked the third time hundreds of people in the Coachella Valley have demonstrated against Proposition 8, which overturned a state Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage.

“It's not fair that I have to worry about what's the next lawsuit that's going to make my marriage invalid,” Palm Springs City Councilwoman Ginny Foat, who married her long-time partner following the Supreme Court ruling, told the crowd.

Statewide, 52 percent of voters approved Proposition 8. In Riverside County, the measure soundly passed with 64 percent of the vote. Opinion polls leading up to the election had showed the measure failing.

During Saturday's rally, people held signs that read, “Keep your Bible out of our Constitution,” “Focus on your own family” and “Separate is never equal.”

A battery of speakers, including Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet, spoke for about an hour encouraging the crowd to talk to their neighbors and to channel their anger in positive ways.

“Not every religious person is our enemy,” said Shelle Enright of Yucca Valley.

Enright also addressed the disturbance that happened at City Hall Nov. 7 when the crowd pressed in on counter-protester Phyllis Burgess and stomped her Styrofoam cross.

“Let's not give her and the Yes supporters any reason to feel superior.”

The anti-Proposition 8 protests have drawn criticism and prompted suggested boycotts of businesses that supported the gay-marriage ban, as well as, the Mormon Church, which strongly encouraged its members to donate to the Yes campaign.

About half of the $40 million raised to pass the measure came from Mormon donors.

On Saturday, more than 30 officers worked the rally blocking off a separate section so counter-protesters could gather. Phyllis Burgess, the 69-year-old woman at the center of last week's disruption, has opted not to seek assault charges.

On her MySpace.com page Friday, Burgess said a gay man apologized for the incident.

“How could I possibly (press charges) if I forgave him?” she said.

Palm Springs police, however, are still investigating the fracas.

“She's talking to the media and she did it on MySpace, but that's not the official means,” said Palm Springs police Sgt. Mitch Spike, a department spokesman. “We're continuing until she's told us.”

Burgess, who has not yet spoken with police, said she was concerned about her safety and informed officials before the Nov. 7 rally that she would be attending.

Burgess has protested the White Party and Pride week, but said she would support “some sort of marriage” for those in a committed relationship.

Each of the rallies have attracted only a handful of Yes on 8 supporters, many of whom say they came out after seeing Burgess tossed around in the crowd.

One Yes on 8 supporter, Bill Walker, held his “No new definition” sign from behind the barricades.

“It chapped me the wrong way,” the Palm Springs man said. “They want equal rights and they accost an old lady with the cross.”

Some of those who attended the rally were first timers, who were not involved in fighting the measure.

Demi Anter, who is straight, said she attended the event to show solidarity for her friends who are gay.

“I was not involved before Prop. 8 passed,” the 16-year-old Indio resident said. “I want to do whatever I can to repeal it.”

Organizers are planning a “million-gay march” on Sacramento on Saturday.

Same-sex marriage is an issue that resonates with many in the Palm Springs area, which has one of the largest gay populations per capita in the United States.

Since June 17, more than 18,000 same-sex couples statewide — including 1,200 in the Coachella Valley — have married.

Once considered sufferers of a mental disorder and regulated through anti-vice laws, gays have struggled for civil rights protections since a routine police raid at a gay bar in Greenwich Village led to rioting in 1969.

“All movements for equal rights have prevailed,” Jorge Guzman told the crowd that spilled into the parking lot outside Palm Springs City Hall. “This is not going to be the exception.”