Sen. Padilla’s Office is Chalk Marked - Gaza Ceasefire Now

SAN FRANCISCO (12-16) – While a major organized labor rally was being held in Oakland calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, across the bay in San Francisco outside the building where California Democratic Senator Alex Padilla’s office is located, a group of human rights activists protested the senator’s lack of support for such a proposal.

Although it was a Saturday afternoon, a significant number of protesters blocked the sidewalk and entrance to the building while holding a rally demanding that the senator support an immediate unconditional ceasefire, provide immediate humanitarian relief, and end US military aid to Israel. Additionally, they called for the senator to vote in favor of House Resolution 786.

The resolution calls for “… an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine.” Stating that “Whereas all human life is precious, and the targeting of civilians, no matter their faith or ethnicity, is a violation of international humanitarian law.” In that “…hundreds of thousands of lives are at imminent risk if a ceasefire is not achieved and humanitarian aid is not delivered without delay.” It also declares that the “Federal Government holds immense diplomatic power to save Israeli and Palestinian lives,” while calling on “…the Biden administration to immediately call for and facilitate de-escalation and a ceasefire to urgently end the current violence.” And “…to promptly send and facilitate the entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza.”

As the building was closed due to the weekend, activists wrote chalk messages on the sidewalk to Padilla and passersby in addressing their demands. As the late afternoon traffic passed by the scene, many of the drivers showed their support by honking their horns.

Among the chalked messages to the senator were reminders that “Killing children is not self-defense, Children should be in school not in a graveyard” and “Nurses say stop bombing of hospitals, Senator Padilla send humanitarian aid not weapons” and “Senator Padilla No $ for genocide.”

Also in the city on this day were several other Gaza related actions all calling for an immediate ceasefire as human rights activists continue their daily protests in the Bay Area, around the nation and across the world in bringing their message to a generally accepting public that the egregious and illegal genocide must stop now.

Everyday Gazans continue to be victimized with further horrific attacks in the two-month-old war adding to its ever-rising death toll especially that of innocent civilians and children. This week alone it has been reported that cemeteries and hospital tents with patients in them have been bulldozed and in a “shoot everything that moves” tactic, three Israeli hostages while attempting to surrender and holding a makeshift white flag were shot and killed by IDF soldiers. Under the “Rules of war” it is illegal to harm or kill anyone bearing a white flag, the international symbol of surrender or truce, as it signifies the bearer is unarmed.

As usual, the Israeli response was that the hostages were “mistakenly” presumed to be Hamas fighters as they were wearing street clothes which Hamas fighters do rather than wearing military uniforms, once again trying to feebly deflect responsibility for their actions by placing the blame on others.

The reaction in Israel was swift and immediate in its commendation and shock that the three were so mercilessly cut down mostly due the fact that they were Israelis. This, while more than 18,000 Gazans have been murdered in war crimes with callous indifference from an ethnocentric general population of whom it has been reported the majority support the war.

As with every action related to Palestine and Gaza there are usually counter protesters and today was no exception. But rather than the usual turnout, only two were present. One who stood silently by while holding an Israeli flag while the other held a large green flag with what appeared to be a message in Arabic written across its face, but on further inspection was a cleverly manipulated font that spells out Elon Musk’s most recent missive “Go F*#k Yourself” an insult directed at the demonstrators that missed its mark. The counter protesters’ presence and sympathies elicited many negative reactions from motorists while the activists ignored them completely.

Report and photos by Phil Pasquini

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