Feature Archives

1/29/2005: Porto Alegre, Brazil - At a workshop held yesterday at the World Social Forum, to discuss ending the US occupation in Iraq, a proposal was discussed to support the Iraqi resistance forces. Albert Petrarca, who is in the Pittsburgh Anti-war Committee and who attended the workshop said “the proposal to support the Iraqi resistance came during the question and answer period and their position was that it wasn’t enough to just be against the war but that you had to take a stand in support of the resistance.” The argument was made that the focal point of resistance to U.S. imperialism was in Iraq. If the Iraqi resistance fighters are successful, it will signify a significant defeat for the Bush administrations ability to carry out further wars of aggression. Therefore, anti-imperialists should objectively be on the side of the Iraqi resistance.
A panelist and spokesperson for the End the War Coalition in England disagreed. While she agreed that the struggle to end the war in Iraq is central for all progressives and that a defeat for U.S. forces in Iraq would be of historic proportions, she argued that including support for the Iraqi resistance into the demands of the anti-war movement would have a disastrous effect. If you make that a point of unity in the anti war movement, she argued, you will not be able to build a mass movement capable of stopping the war.
The issue will be up for discussion on Sunday when the World Social Forum will consider proposals from the many workshops at the forum.
Read More| More Indybay WSF Coverage

March 19, 2005, is an International Day of Protest on the second anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. As on the first anniversary of the invasion, millions of people around the world are marching to say “No to War and Occupation from Iraq to Palestine to Haiti and Everywhere” in dozens of cities around the US and in other countries. The San Francisco March assembled at 11am in Dolores Park and there was a rally at 1 pm at Civic Center.

Flyers For Event: 1 | 2 | 3/12 press release from ANSWER | ANSWER | United For Peace And Justice

Other California Protests:
-Los Angeles : March 19th march starting at Hollywood & Vine.
-Fresno: March 19th anti-war Rally in the Valley.
-Monterey: On March 19th, a march in black is planned in downtown Monterey.
-Palo Alto: On March 19 at 5:00 p.m., there will be a Peace Vigil at St. Mark's Episcopal Church.
-San Benito: March 19th community vigil to mark 2nd anniversary of war in iraq. remembering all who are affected by war.
-San Diego: There will be a rally and march starting at 6th and Laurel.
-Pasadena anti-war planning meeting interrupted by police.
-Eureka: A March and Rally begins at 11am in Halvorsen Park, 2nd and L streets.
-On March 20th there will be a march and rally in San Jose. It will gather at 1:30pm at the Diridion Train Station. More info

-Other California Cities

More Anti-War Protests Around The US.

On Jan. 16th, a "Rally Against Global Terrorism" occured in Berkeley to protest Congresswoman Barbara Lee's vote against the apartheid wall. In response, a Vigil for Global Justice was held on the same day. Photos
Peace and justice activists held this vigil in response to the attempts by the “Israel Action Committee of the East Bay” and “Christians for Israel” (now Jerusalem Connection International) to vilify Arabs and Palestinians by bringing a bus from Jerusalem that was bombed last January and displaying it throughout the Bay Area.
Bus 19 was also displayed in San Francisco on Monday January 17, 2005, when SF Voice for Israel presented a "Rally Against Global Terror" from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. across from San Francisco City Hall. Photos: 1 | 2


Berkeley Daily Planet Reports: 1   2   3 | Tom Joad | Middle East Children's Alliance | Indybay's Palestine Page

San Francisco: On Wednesday, December 22 2004, the weekly Code Pink candlelight vigil against the war and occupation in Iraq joined forces with singers and musicians from War Resisters League West and Singing for Peace to present a program of anti-war and anti-war toy versions of familiar carols.
Photos

Fresno: On Christmas Day, Peace Fresno members participated in an anti-war demonstration at Shaw and Blackstone.
Photos | Video | What Have Peace Fresno Members Learned Since the Infiltration

San Rafael: On December 19th, several hundred protesters took part in a candelight vigil and march against the war. Speeches and candlelight march from Dec 19th San Rafael Peace March Rep. Lynn Woolsey, David Glick from MPJC give stirring talks to energise a crowd of about 300 candlelight carrying peace activists.
Video from Bright Path Video | Marin Peace and Justice Coalition

12/12/2004: The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which is arguably one of the most powerful political lobby organizations in the US, held two Bay Area events on Monday, December 13th. AIPAC works to convince Congress to fund the Israeli military. Judging from the over $3 billion in tax dollars that the US invests in Israel per year, it is a wildly successful lobby. If Americans Knew says that the U.S. gives $15,139,178 per day to the Israeli government and military and $568,744 per day to Palestinian NGO’s, and that 0 Israeli homes have been demolished by Palestinians, while 4,170 Palestinian homes have been demolished by Israel since September 29, 2000. The FBI is investigating AIPAC for its alleged role in an espionage case. Protest organizers requested that people call local and state politicians and ask them to boycott AIPAC's luncheon in San Francisco and/or the dinner in Oakland.

AIPAC hosted a lunchtime event in San Francisco on Monday. There was a protest at 11:30am at Moscone Center South, San Francisco. Organizers believed that it was important to have even a small presence to draw attention to the US government's prioritization of foreign expenditures over domestic responsibilities.

On Monday evening, AIPAC held a banquet at the Oakland Marriott, in spite of the protest outside from 5:30 to 8:30pm, with a picket line 160 people strong. Report Protesters pointed out that "While Oakland citizens need money for housing, AIPAC will promote U.S. funding for destruction of homes of Palestinian families. While Oakland needs funding for schools, AIPAC will promote U.S. funding for policies that prevent Palestinian children from attending schools." The protest was endorsed by: Middle East Children’s Alliance, Northern California International Solidarity Movement Support Group, Justice in Palestine Coalition, Jewish Voice for Peace, United for Peace and Justice, Bay Area. Protest leaflet More info

12/9/2004: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed on December 10th, 1948, and its anniversary is observed every year on or about that date. A perusal of Kofi Annan's most recent press briefing indicates that the world is far from accomplishing many of the goals set out in the Declaration, as territorial, resource, gender/sexuality and other political wars continue worldwide.
Local events: On Friday December 10th at UC Berkeley's Sproul Plaza, UC Berkeley hosted Human Rights Day at UCB at 11:45 (Photos). Also in Berkeley, Women in Black had its weekly vigil at 12pm. In Oakland at 4:30, there was a candlelight vigil. There was a demonstration in Fresno at 5pm (Video), and a public event in Merced at 5:45. At the Ecology Center in Berkeley, Michael Nagler spoke about The Search for a Nonviolent Future at 7pm.
On Saturday 12/11, a Stop Violence Against Women Walk ledt from Amnesty International's Western Regional Office at 10am. It visited four consular offices in San Francisco to share concerns about the growing violence and discrimination against women in those countries.. SF Women in Black was in Union Square at 1pm. December 3rd-10th was also a national "The War Must Stop Now" Week of Actions.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights | Human Rights Web | Amnesty International | Human Rights Watch | Human Rights for Workers in the United States | Eat the State Article from 1998 | Indybay Coverage of IHRD 2002

Fresno
11/14/04: Peace Fresno made their voices and feelings known on Fresno street corners, holding signs and being vocal. Read More | Central Valley Indymedia | Photos
San Francisco
11/9/2004: Around one thousand people gathered at Powell and Market Streets and marched in opposition to the US attack on Falluja (Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6   Video: 1 ).
Los Angeles
11/9/2004: At 7:50 PM armored tanks showed up at an anti-war protest in front of the federal building in Westwood. The tanks circled the block twice, the second time parking themselves in the street and directly in front of the area where most of the protesters were gathered. Enraged, some of the people attempted to block the tanks, but police quickly cleared the street. (LA Indymedia | Video & photos | More Photos).
Chicago
11/8/2004: In Chicago, over 180 antiwar protesters gathered in Federal Plaza Monday evening for a hastily called emergency rally and march to protest the attack on Fallujah. More
Athens, Greece
11/17/2004: "Police fired tear gas at demonstrators who hurled rocks and bottles at the U.S. Embassy in Athens on Wednesday during a rally against the war in Iraq. Dozens of youths wearing scarves and crash helmets clashed with riot police. At least 25 were detained, police said. There were no immediate reports of injuries. A downtown branch of Citibank was damaged by a firebomb, while protesters set fire to trash bins near the embassy." More
UK Protests
11/8/2004: The day the assault started, there were protests in over 30 towns and cities around the UK, including vigils and protests in Swindon, York and Brighton.
Four people were arrested in Edinburgh as the US Consulate was spattered with blood red paint and covered in anti-war slogans.