April 12 San Francisco Demo at Israeli Consulate

"No Justice, No Peace! US Out of the Middle East!" was the loud clear demand from a young woman over several loudspeakers from one block away from the San Francisco Israeli Consulate in Financial District at lunchtime: This demonstration was organized by socialists, the Arab-American community, the progressive Jewish community and others to condemn the US/Israel military attack on Palestine and to demand an end to the US/Israeli genocide of the Palestinian people. It was the 5th demonstration in 8 days.

Unlike the previous 3 demonstrations this week at the same location for the same cause, the police were out in full force with 3-foot long clubs and the police equine division or, as we said during the Vietnam War protest days, "pigs on horses." The horses and sticks were completely uncalled for, a waste of our tax dollars, and the horses' presence should be of concern to the animal rights people as the cars, honking horns, crowds of people, loud speeches and rowdy chants are distressing to horses. The horses belong in Golden Gate Park, not on city streets.

The youthful enthusiasm of the speakers and the rousing chants they led were matched by the young men in cars who drove by with Palestinian flags flying out the windows in an auto solidarity parade. The energy generated by these young people brought more office workers to the already busy Montgomery Street to watch the whole show, where they received leaflets for the next, VERY IMPORTANT, demonstration not only for the Palestinians, but for all liberation struggles, as one speaker made clear on April 12, as well as to put an end to the war machine that is wasting our tax dollars on guns instead of butter. That demonstration is:

APRIL 20, 2002 AT 11 A.M. AT DOLORES PARK, 18TH AND CHURCH (16TH ST BART), SAN FRANCISCO. We will have a rally and then march to the Civic Center at Grove and Larkin Streets (Civic Center BART) for a major rally.

We need EVERYONE THIS WEEKEND AND THE COMING WEEK to hand out leaflets and put up posters from now until April 20. Please see the website for your organizing center: http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/april/contacts.html
In San Francisco, you can pick up leaflets and posters 7 days a week at 2489 Mission St, #24, San Francisco, CA 94110, tel: 415/821-6545. When you pick up your supplies, please give whatever donation you can as there are no rich people paying for these supplies or the sound equipment at the rally. It is not necessary that you pay, but those who can, please give something. We are hoping for at least 50,000 people, but the truth be told, San Francisco is capable of having 200,000 march for peace. How about it folks? Are we still the CITY-WESTERN STATES THAT KNOW HOW?

You can hand out leaflets at your local shopping district, outside churches on Sunday morning, at commuter bus stops and Muni/BART stations and wherever else people congregate. THIS IS THE BIG WEEK FOR LEAFLETTING. WE NEED YOU NOW.

See you there. Bring your suntan/sunscreen lotion if needed, the children in the strollers, water, enough cash to purchase the very informative literature that will be at the many tables and as many people as you possibly can. Peace.