Anti-war protesters take to San Francisco streets

Some protesters took a midnight bus from Burbank to make it to San Francisco in time for the morning gathering. Bill Nelson, 30, made that trip with his mother, Anna May Nelson, 67.

"We feel it's very important to keep our voices heard because we want our troops home," said Bill Nelson, a Burbank bookstore owner. "We want the money here for health care and jobs, not a military industrial complex."

Nelson's mother said her message to the Bush administration was "stop supporting Halliburton and Bechtel," two companies that figure prominently in the rebuilding effort in Iraq. She agreed to come to the demonstration after a college political science course piqued her interest in world politics.

Five groups, International A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop the War and End Racism), Bay Area United Against War, Not in Our Name, United for Peace and Justice, and the Vanguard Foundation, helped arrange transportation so that protesters from Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and 27 California cities could attend.

Many in attendance at Civic Center Plaza waved large signs, some of which read "How Many Lives Per Gallon?" and "Support our troops. Bring them home." Some carried Palestinian flags and wore Palestinian headwraps. Speakers from groups such as the Americans Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Bay Area Iranians for Peace, and Military Families Speak Out joined local politicians and celebrities to cheer on the crowd.

"This war is not about us," actor Danny Glover told the protesters. "It is against us, against Iraqi people, and against our children."

The crowd grew to as many as 5,000 by 2:00 p.m. PDT, by some police estimates, before it marched down the middle of Market Street to a city park about a mile away. Once there, the crowd heard from speakers including Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic, the author of "Born on the 4th of July" who likened the war in Iraq to the military conflict that left him paralyzed from the chest down.

"There are tens of thousands of Vietnam veterans who are still suffering because of what's happened and what's being repeated," Kovic told The Associated Press before addressing the crowd. "We're seeing Vietnam happen all over again. Wounds are being ripped open."

The San Francisco protest was the West Coast's version of a similar demonstration held in the nation's capital that drew tens of thousands from more than 100 cities.

Before the rally at the Washington Monument, about 200 protesters played songs, listened to drummers and rallied for peace in a park about 20 blocks north of the White House.

Bush is spending the weekend at Camp David in Maryland.



© 2003 AP Wire and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.