San Francisco Rally for Peace in Ukraine in Global Day of Action

Photos: Leon Kunstenaar / Pro Bono Photo

On Sunday March 6th, Code Pink and over two dozen peace organizations held a rally, mural painting and march at San Francisco's Embarcadero. Code Pink activists initially displayed banners in front of the Ferry Building, but drawing a large crowd, moved to Harry Bridges Plaza across the street where a large street mural painting was underway.

The mural was of a painting by the Ukrainian artist Maria Pryimachenko which was destroyed, along with twenty five other paintings, in a museum fire resulting from the current Ukraine war.

At the rally speakers blasted those responsible for the war, mainly Russia, but many speakers and signs also noted that the expansion of NATO, a military alliance created in the "cold war" and designed to counter the Soviet Union, bore a heavy responsibility.

When the Soviet Union collapsed, NATO was not disbanded. Instead it was used to promote the U.S. military and economic penetration of Europe at Russia's expense, incorporating former Soviet Block countries, right up to Russia's border.

The resulting war is causing death and destruction not seen in Europe since World War II and risks a confrontation between the world's two largest nuclear powers. Many demonstrators bore signs dreading a cataclysmic nuclear war.

Musicians from "Playing for Change" played songs recalling our country's political struggles, dear to the hearts of many.

Led by banners demanding "No War With Russia", Defund NATO - Defund War", and "Diplomacy Not War" demonstrators marched down several waterfront blocks and back.

See all high resolution photos here.