wail against the war; 5pm Monday the 24th in Oakland

Wailing against the war The mood was intense on Friday evening at 5:00 as fifteen to thirty peace demonstrators circled a police-lined Union Square, wailing. That's right -sobbing, moaning, singing and crying. Policemen in riot gear, two and sometimes three deep, blocked the square from public use. They gave no reason except that they were "given orders." Twelve more on horseback as well as an additional busload of cops watched as the group marched in single-file on the sidewalk. After three or four laps, we settled at the corner of Stockton and Geary to wail under a banner of Justice Not Vengeance: No More Victims. We kept up a continuous swell of voices until 6:30, attracting the support of many passers-by and the anger of one heckler, whom the police escorted away. Organized by American Friends Service Committee's Sandra Schwartz, the demonstration was both meditative and therapeutic; it offered protestors a chance to grieve the impending deaths of innocent Iraqis. Our voices were strong and clear, alerting downtown shoppers of our collective prayer for peace. At 5:00 PM on Monday, March 24 at 14th and Broadway in Oakland there will be another solemn procession against the war. Please join us.