Organizer: Chicken Protest Will Be Peaceful

As news breaks around the Bay Area about new Chick-fil-A protests, plans continue for a demonstration at the new chicken restaurant franchise in Walnut Creek — albeit on a new opening date.

The new opening day for the North Main Street fast food restaurant is Thursday, Oct. 11, moved back from a September date.

Also this week, news emerged that Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A — encountering gay rights activism for its donations to traditional marriage groups even as it adds outlets in Northern California — had purchased a lot in Novato, Marin County, for a restaurant.

In Walnut Creek, activist Tom Lewenz said organizers are taking steps to ensure a peaceful protest for the North Main Street opening on Oct. 11.

"I want to make sure everyone knows that it is our intention to make this a 100 percent peaceful protest," Lewenz wrote in an email. "Our objections lie only with the CEO and the company's funding of anti-gay organizations, not with the local business owners or their employees. We will be working very closely with the Walnut Creek Police Department to ensure this stays peaceful and law abiding."

The Walnut Creek plans are being made with the help of a Facebook Public Event. The new franchise with drive-through service on 2750 N. Main St., Walnut Creek. It's part of a big construction project with a new 24-Hour Fitness at that location.

Dan Cathy, the CEO of Chick-fil-A, drew the ire of gay rights activists earlier this summer when he said in an interview, "We are very much supportive of the family -- the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives."

Apropos not of the Chick-fil-A controversy but an interesting read on the topic of gay activism in California —