Thousands March on US Dept of State Bldg for Climate Change

Thousands of protesters marched around the US Department of State building at the bottom of Market Street in San Francisco on Sunday. Musical groups stationed at each corner of the block long building and oversized puppets made entertainment just one part of the nationwide demonstration--San Francisco style

The national day of action was created to pressure President Obama into rejecting a pipeline that would bring oil into the United States. If approved, the pipeline would carry oil derived from tar sands in Canada to refineries in Texas. Media reports varied from between 35,000 to 50,000 in attendance in Washington DC. Organizers in San Francisco reported 5,000 in this city.

65 San Francisco Bay area groups including the Sierra Club, Greenpeace and 350.org took part in the march and rally.

Corporate media is reporting that there were no arrests but there were plenty officers on hand; several appeared to be keeping an unnecessarily close eye on the group World Can't Wait. On a happier note, Occupella, street performers who promote peace, justice, and an end to corporate domination, drew a large crowd of marchers into a performance of "zipper songs" that everyone could recognize and sing along to. Once they enticed the Raging Grannies into their circle of song, the crowd swelled at one point along the marching route.