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Indybay Feature

Pumpin' Up the Protest in front of Wells Fargo Branch in San Mateo

by Text: R.R. Photos: Chris Cassell
Ultimate destination: Wells Fargo headquarters in San Francisco! But on day one of a 3-day action, demonstrators first targeted the bank's branch in San Mateo. The location on W. Hillsdale Blvd. was the third of 12 stagecoach stops on the 34 mile trek.
Photos by Chris Cassell, Probono Photo. Please credit the photographer.
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Marchers from more than 50 Bay Area grassroots organizations created a human billboard all along the El Camino, starting in Palo Alto at 8:30am. By mid-afternoon, they crossed into the city of San Mateo. Ultimate destination: Wells Fargo headquarters in San Francisco but first....target the bank's branch in San Mateo!

In chants and song the demonstrators called on Wells Fargo to halt fossil fuel lending and to invest instead in clean energy solutions to the climate crisis. The San Mateo branch on W. Hillsdale Boulevard was one of a dozen "stagecoach stops” where the tireless marchers could rest a bit, enjoy vegan snacks, use the portable port-a-potty and prepare to solider on.

Members of the Raging Grannies Action League, whose members live from San Jose to San Mateo all up and down the peninsula, pumped up the protest with songs and chants near the branch bank's front door. Granny Gail Sredanovic said that she regrets that age and disability keep her from actually marching, but that she was participating in a virtual manner by watching livestream coverage. The Grannies will join up with the event again at ground zero--Wells Fargo headquarters 420 Montgomery St. San Francisco noon on March 18. 

§Human billboard arrives at San Mateo WF branch on W. Hillsdale Blvd
by Text: R.R. Photos: Chris Cassell
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§Raging Grannies viewing marchers from afar Rise Up to greet them
by Text: R.R. Photos: Chris Cassell
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§All along the sidewalk
by Text: R.R. Photos: Chris Cassell
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The guy in pink hat upper right is on his cell phone getting things in gear for the final stop later that evening. He is not holding his ears because of awful singing, but then again, everyone could tell the Grannies were by no means professional performers.
§Nathan Chan encourages marchers to think about the housing crisis in the Bay Area...
by Text: R.R. Photos: Chris Cassell
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...and how it contributes to our climate chaos. He is organizing to work on this pervasive problem.
§Demonstrators Decorated the branch's ATM's before they marched on
by Text: R.R. Photos: Chris Cassell
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