Anti-War Protest Marks 20th Anniversary of Iraq War

Photos: Leon Kunstenaar / Pro Bono Photo

On Saturday, Answer Coalition and many other anti-war organizations held a demonstration and march at Mission and 24th Street. Sharing the space with street vendors and a couple of unhoused people, banners and signs proclaimed demands for peace in Ukraine, abolishing NATO, the diversion of taxpayers' money to meet human needs and the end of US aggression toward Cuba, Haiti and the usual "enemies" in South America and Africa. There were signs declaring that our latest opponent, brand new for this season, China, is not "our" enemy.

Ukrainian counter-protesters were there and, having been invaded by Russia and resisting, showed considerably less interest in peace. Along with signs asking for war planes and long range missiles, a sign said "Peace with Russia is Genocide." They displayed a Ukrainian flag emblazoned with Ukraine's patron saint, Saint Olga of Kyiv, holding an anti-tank missile launcher.

A discordant note appeared in the form of anti-vax leaflets on a table.

The Black Alliance for Peace was there. The Musicians Action Group played old favorites from the Left and the Raging Grannies regaled the crowd with an operatic performance. After speeches, the march began.

With slogans blaring, the crowd marched up 24th to Valencia, turned right and turned right again on 18th. They then marched back to 24th and Mission.

As Russia's President Putin faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for war crimes committed in Ukraine, accountability by George Bush and Dick Cheney, killers of 900,000 Iraqis, is viewed in the US as utterly unthinkable. This double standard is illustrated in a recent NY Times article entitled "Arrest Warrant from Criminal Court Pierce's Putin Aura of Invincibility."

While the US establishment's summary of the US invasion of Iraq, based on the lie of "weapons of mass destruction" remains that it was a disastrous mistake that "we" made. The cri‌minality, to this date, remains unaddressed.

A passer by asked me what the crowd was all about. I said "about war". "Fuck war" he said as he threw up his hands and walked on.

See all high resolution photos here.