Police preparations in the Financial District

While Monday's demonstration in San Francisco was centered within a few blocks, activists are gearing up for more widespread protests the first day after a U.S. attack on Iraq. Police are considering bringing in law enforcement officers from other jurisdictions to deal with the demonstrations, Bruce said.

"There will be a lot of cops here," Bruce said.

Last week, police distributed 3,000 flyers to San Francisco businesses, mostly in the Financial District, South of Market and Mission District neighborhoods, alerting them "in case future acts of civil disobedience are directed at downtown and neighborhood commercial interests."

The flyer suggests that business owners discourage looting by not opening their doors, that they keep plywood on hand to replace broken windows and remove sidewalk displays at the first sign of "a disorderly demonstration."