Young People Reclaim Earth Day

Photos: Leon Kunstenaar

(San Francisco, April 19) - Young people, mostly of high school age, rallied in Justin Herman Plaza to protest the horrors the US is complicit in. Huge banners made the connection between the ongoing crimes against humanity and the continuing crimes against the earth itself.

Young people demanded that their future not be stolen by the likes of BNY Mellon, BlackRock, and Joe Biden's complicity in Israel's genocidal outrages against Palestine.

With signs and banners, some made the day before, they marched down Market Street. First stop was the offices of BNY Mellon who finances Israel's weapons producer, the Elbit Company. Illustrating BNY Mellon's and Elbit's crimes they lay down in the street in a "die in."

Then it was on to BlackRock's Western headquarters, a location well know from many previous protests. As grandmothers are wont to do, the "1000 Grandmothers" was there waiting for the kids with a veritable banquet of pizzas, fruits and cookies.

Eloquent young speakers addressed the crowd. With gallons of paint donated by artist David Solnit, the protesters set about painting giant street murals that demanded an end to imperialism and genocide.

Organized by Youth vs Apocalypse, the action was joined by Code Pink, Veterans for Peace, 1000 Grandmothers, and several left political groups.

See all high resolution photos here.