San Francisco Algerian March

San Francisco was the site of the first ever US Amazigh protest march organized by Kabyles of the Bay Area. <BR><BR>Imazighen (Berbers) of the Bay Area marched In solidarity with the huge marches organized throughout Algeria. The purpose of these protest marches has been to put a stop to the marginalisation of Kabyles ; the full equality of rights for all Berber indigenous people; an international enquiry into the torture and murders which have taken place in our villages for the last two months, and which have resulted in the massacre of over a hundred youngsters and over 1,300 wounded by government troops; and better coverage of the ongoing genocide by all media in the US. <br><br>
With a police escort, the group moved from the Civic Center to Market Street, to the sounds of drums and slogans such as "Out with the Butchers of Algeria," "Democracy for all," "Our children are dying for freedom," and "Where is the Media?" the protesters carried Amazigh flags and large banners such as the one harboring the message "Algeria, a nation without rights" Marchers wore black ribbons in mourning for the dead and the dying in Algeria, where State violence continues unabated, and where all rights of freedom of speech, of press, and assembly have been legally termianted this week. <br><br>
The messages delivered at the Civic Center Plaza, in front of the San Francisco Chronicle building, and at the Powell Street Tramway Terminal included a message of solidarity from the Moroccan representatives of the Amazigh community of California. The majority of Moroccans are also Berbers, and solidarity messages have poured out of Moroccan amazigh associations in support of the Kabyle demands.
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This march will be followed by another which will take place in front of the United Nations Building in New York on Saturday June 25th. Algerians from the large Amazigh community of Canada will join that protest.