(San Diego, California) More than 200 opponents of Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage in California, demonstrated in front of a San Diego hotel during a speech by former President Bill Clinton.

Rights groups, San Diego City Councilman Todd Gloria, labor leader Lorena Gonzalez and six others sent Clinton a letter, urging him to cancel his appearance at the annual convention of the International Franchise Association on Sunday.

A spokesperson for the former President said prior to the demonstration that  Clinton planned to honor his commitment to give the speech.

Several groups have canceled conventions at the hotel – costing Manchester’s facility an estimated $2 million.

Among those who bailed out of meeting at the hotel are conventions for the International Foundation of Employee Benefits, the San Diego Board of Realtors, the American Assn. of Law Schools and the California Nurses Association.

The California State Bar Association is under pressure to cancel its annual convention at the hotel.

Clinton has a mixed record on LGBT issues.  He signed the federal Defense of Marriage Act which bars the US government from recognizing same-sex couples, saying at the time he saw it as a way of stopped a proposed amendment to the US Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

Clinton also signed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which bans gays from serving openly in the military.  He said that the bill was a compromise to an all-out ban on gays that would result in a witch hunt of homosexuals in the armed forces.

Protesters marched in front of the hotel shouting for equality.  About a dozen San Diego police officers were on the scene, but reported no incidents.

The California Supreme Court will hear arguments next month that the vote for Prop 8 was unconstitutional.