Street Mural at Federal Building Demands US Stop Support of Attack on Gaza

Photos: Leon Kunstenaar / Pro Bono Photo

On Friday October 20th, several hundred people of many faiths and ages assembled in front of the Federal building on San Francisco's Seventh street to paint yet another of Davit Solnit's street murals. The mural, addressed to Biden and Pelosi, illustrated seven large US bombs going to Israel to kill people in schools, hospitals and their homes. The bombs bore messages demanding a cease fire and the implementation of international humanitarian law.

Arriving shortly before one pm, Solnit and friends rolled in their carts laden with large pails of paint. With chalk tipped poles and compasses of wood and rope they laid out the mural"s outline, followed by a couple of hundred paintbrush wielding volunteers. As the activists knelt, sat and leaned over to paint the huge mural, singers sang and people prayed over the solar powered sound system.

When the mural was finished at about 4 pm, the demonstrators all lay down around the mural's edge for an unique group photo.

A police contingent stood by, unusually large perhaps due to the intense protests occasioned by the outbreak of the Israeli - Hamas war and Israel's bombing of Gaza's population. The paint smeared entrance to the Federal building stood as a reminder of the previous day's demonstration.

Though one passer by took exception to the painting of a public street, the entire event took place in peaceful solemnity.

See all high resolution photos here.