LIVE WEB CAM MARCH 19

(who wrote this... the city is 'bracing' for 'intense antiwar activity'?)
By JUSTIN M. NORTON, Associated Press Writer

Saturday, March 19, 2005


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(03-19) 08:15 PST San Francisco (AP) --

The city braced for intense anti-war protests Saturday to commemorate the second anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, with march organizers saying they expect "tens of thousands" to participate in peaceful but energetic demonstrations.

The protests in San Francisco just after the war began in 2003 were among the most vocal and angry in the country, with thousands of arrests and frequent conflicts between police and demonstrators. Many protesters were detained only to return immediately to the streets, and police claimed that the protests were costing the city upward of $900,000 a day in overtime and other costs.

Two years later, organizers say they expect robust demonstrations but are encouraging civility.

"The police know where we are going and where the rallies are going to be," said Bill Hackwell, a spokesman for Act Now to Stop War and End Racism, the main coordinator of the San Francisco demonstration. "We are telling people to bring their families, their mothers, their children. We're taking the security and the integrity of these demonstrations very seriously.

"We can't control everything, but as far as the body of the march goes it will be smooth from one spot to the next," he said.

The weekend began with a controversy over the Board of Supervisors' decision to commemorate everyone who has died in the Iraq war, regardless of nationality, by flying the flag above City Hall at half-staff.

Mayor Gavin Newsom denied the request, arguing that the flag is to be flown at half-staff only when a prominent local figure dies or by order of the president or governor. Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, who sponsored the resolution to protest the United States' involvement in Iraq, denounced the decision as "deplorable."

The march will begin with a rally in Dolores Park in the city's Mission district and continue roughly two miles to Civic Center, where protesters will hear speeches from anti-war activists.

The march will be among the roughly 700 anti-war events around the country Saturday. Busloads of protesters were expected to arrive in the city from throughout Northern California and Nevada.

Police were already bracing for the protest on Friday, and officers will be begin setting up at 9 a.m. Saturday.

San Francisco police spokesman Jason Hui said many officers will be working overtime for the demonstration but did not know how many officers would patrol the march.

A noon protest is also scheduled in Los Angeles Saturday.