Some 2,000 homosexuals, bearing candles, staged a protest march in Greenwich Village Thursday and speakers blamed the shootings on a 'poisoned atmosphere in the city.' 'I was down there and I felt better to stay out,' Vance said. Police also increased their presence in the area. But in the aftermath of the shootings, nighttime crowds were lighter in the village. Often the bars are so heavily patronized crowds spill out in the streets. Homosexual groups called on people to 'ease off' from hanging out in the leather district this weekend 'to let the area cool down,' Vance said. I thought something might happen, but not on this scale.' 'There's been problems in the area before, people coming by and yelling obscenities or throwing eggs. 'Everyone is just numbed and dumbfounded by this,' said Vance Hines, a spokesman for the Village-based National Gay Task Force.
