SF Demo at Israeli Consulate 6/4/10

SAN FRANCISCO-- Hundreds of people came to the Israeli consulate protesting the Israeli attack on a Turkish relief vessel near Gaza. They packed one side of the block and most of the other side. I counted about 30 police, and there were more out of sight on side streets; I estimated at least 60 total. About 30 Zionist counter-protesters occupied the middle of one side of the street.

Unfortunately the jostling made it impossible to get good sound quality for the "bullhorn" speakers (and, in one case, even to get his name). One speaker told me that all the organizers were busy with the "mainstream" media which had shown up. I interviewed two of the pro-Gaza protesters, Jack Fertig and Mohamed.

On the Zionist side, I asked several people for interviews. Many were suspicious, and when I told them I was planning on putting this up on IndyBay they generally declined. One man said, "I know about IndyBay. I monitor it to keep tabs on the left -- the *FAR* left -- of the political spectrum." Another said that he didn't think I'd find any friends here. A woman said that she didn't "necessarily" trust what I write. Another woman thanked me for the offer but said that she wanted to pay attention to what was going on rather than talk. One man, Yehiel Yisrael, gave me an interview.