Several hundred activists turned out in downtown San Francisco on March 19 to mark the fourth anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq. More than 50 protesters were arrested taking part in "die-ins" that blocked Market Street throughout much of the afternoon. The die-ins began at noon at four locations along Market Street, including Civic Center and the corner of Montgomery Street outside the office of Senator Dianne Feinstein, a consistent supporter of the war.

At the Montgomery intersection, 100 activists staged a die-in on the sidewalk as others read the names of people killed in Iraq. At about 1 pm, half the group moved onto Market Street, blocking traffic for about half an hour. After several warnings, about 40 protesters lying in the street were arrested, including 76-year-old Pentagon whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg. As the first batch of arrestees was hauled away, more protesters, led by the Brass Liberation Orchestra, joined the group from another die-in at the Embarcadero. A march then proceeded to the Powell Street intersection, where activists again blocked Market Street and about 10 more were arrested.

Eleven military family members and veterans were arrested by federal police at Nancy Pelosi's office after they met with Pelosi staff to express their opposition to Pelosi's plan to continue funding the War in Iraq, as outlined in the supplmental appropriations bill coming to house vote this week. The group included veterans who had served in Iraq and mothers whose sons are in Iraq now and others whose sons have served multiple deployments. The group was charged with "disturbances" and failure to obey orders of federal police. After processing, all eleven were released.

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Reports: 1 | 2 | Video

Organizations such as the Declaration of Peace had called for nationwide nonviolent civil disobedience to stop the occupation of Iraq during the week of March 16th through 19th. "For four years, people across the United States have voted, lobbied, vigiled, and marched to end the US war in Iraq. Now -- as the war threatens to escalate even while a growing majority in the United States wants to see it end -- the time has come to visibly increase nationwide opposition to this policy by organizing and participating in dramatic nonviolent civil disobedience in cities and towns across the United States," says Declaration of Peace.

Groups across the US have been asking their members of Congress to sign the Congressional Declaration of Peace, a commitment to vote NO on any funding for war in Iraq; to bring the troops home; and to back a plan for peace. The Declaration of Peace has also been working with The Occupation Project, which is organizing nonviolent sit-ins calling on Senators and Representatives to oppose the Bush administration’s supplemental request of $93 billion in new spending for war in Iraq. Building on these events, national and local organizations organized nationwide nonviolent civil disobedience and other forms of peaceful resistance for March 16th through the 19th.

Announcement from Declaration of Peace | March 19th Die-in | Wikipedia's Die-in Page | Stop Funding the War in Iraq | CODEPINK's Occupation Project Website