Fifth Anniversary of Iraq War - Rally and March

The finale to the day's protests marking the fifth anniversary in Iraq was a rally and march starting at the Civic Center plaza.

A few thousand people gathered from 5 pm. But this had a very different tone to the theatrical demonstrations earlier in the day.

Organised by ANSWER - Act Now to Stop War and End Racism - this was hardline politics: an annexation of political groups from around the Bay Area.

With over an hour of speeches, the rally was not only about the war: it was about Afghanistan, Iran, Palestine, Cuba, Venezuela, the Philippines, Tibet, Haiti, North Korea, Colombia, the rights of immigrant workers, jobs, housing and healthcare.

Though it was primarily about the 'US imperialist war and the occupation in Iraq'. Tone and rhetoric conveyed anger about America.

'We do not want to colonize the world,' said one speaker.

'This war has nothing to do with the reasons given. It has everything to do with oil and power and domination,' thundered another.

A young Arab American woman speaking passionately first about Palestine, said of Iraq: 'The only way we can stop this war is to remember that they are faces...human faces.'

There were boos, predictably, for Bush but also disdain for Democratic candidates Obama and Hillary. A female Senator, running in the presidential race though not expecting to win, said she had no hope that the next president would end the war because whoever it was would need to assuage 'the rich, bankers, militarists...'

She went on to speak about the economic cost of the war and the needs for housing and healthcare. She was applauded as she called for free healthcare and the abolition of medical insurance companies.

Trying to galvanize action as the rally moved towards an end, yet another speaker said, 'The US will not leave Iraq, will not bring the troops home until the people force them to.'

It was announced that police had arrested 125 protesters during the day, though the San Fran Chronicle and TV news programmes later put the number at 150. Stalls advertising different political groups lined the plaza and plenty of leaflets were handed out.

As 6.30 pm approached and with speeches still continuing, protesters began to line up for the march. Those at the front had plenty of time to practice chants...'we want money for jobs and education...Not for war and occupation.' And, 'one, two, three, four...we must end this racist war.'

Eventually, with police in front, a long line of several thousand people, chanting and banging drums and cymbals, and waving banners and placards in a culmination of the day's activities, wound out of the plaza and towards the Mission District.

The rally had attracted people of all ages but many were young. Throughout the day the protests were mostly by political activists. Missing was a broader cross-section of San Franciscans: 'ordinary' people who are concerned about the war, families, relatives of troops, church groups.

Perhaps the fact that it was a working day had some bearing, but the impression was that most San Franciscans who have qualms about the war do not wish to be involved in street protests or link themselves to political groups.

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Fifth Anniversary of Iraq War - mid-morning

By mid-morning on the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war protesters were bringing theatrical displays to the streets plus traffic chaos. Police were out in force and film crews, journalists and cameramen were in the thick of it.

Dressed in costumes and sloganned tee-shirts, protesters were both audience and actors in a 'death scene' in the main street, Market Street, representing the bodies of war victims. Trams, buses, cars were halted. Police rushed up and stationed themselves in a cordon, allowing the protests to continue.

Two women in front of me watched. 'This is what democracy is about,' said one, approving the fact that people can express their views. Her friend agreed but suggested they beat a hasty retreat just in case and they departed at speed.

Talking to a man beside me, he was unimpressed by the protests. The causes of the war were complex, he thought, probably due in part to intelligence lies told by Iran to get America do the dirty work for them.

Was he more worried by the war or the economy? I asked.

'The economy, ' he said without hesitation. 'Mind you,' he added, 'I'm not necessarily for the war.'

An activist called Paul from Direct Action to Stop the War stood nearby. His view was that America was out for world dominion, which is what he objected to, whether by force or political manipulation.

As we stood there the police 'called time' and then gradually arrested one by one those 'dying' protesters who didn't wish to retire to the sidewalk.

Back at the plaza further down Market Street a programme of events was starting. There were speeches, poetry readings and songs...'till the soldiers all come home...we shall not be moved...' and another on behalf of 'all mothers with broken hearts from 9/11 onwards'.

The names of people who had died on both sides of the conflict were read out and Bishop Marc Handley Andrus, Episcopal Bishop of California, spoke for peace. 'Now is the time for peace in Iraq, peace in our cities, peace in the world,' he said.

He was due to lead a peace vigil that evening with other church leaders at Grace Cathedral where boots and shoes signifying all Californians who had died in Iraq had been placed on the Great Steps and inside on the labyrinth. He ended with a prayer that the troops would not have died in vain (KTVU-TV news have on-line video of vigil)

Suddenly at midday there was a hustle behind us and a group of cyclists in costume and with slogans circled in the street. As the traffic ground to a halt for a second time, it was announced it was time for people 'to die.'

A coffin covered in flowers and the American flag was carried into the middle of the street, a spot also opposite a State Senator's office, and protesters duly arranged themselves around it. They were joined by other protesters dressed in the bright orange Guantanamo Bay garb who had earlier demonstrated in Union Square.

Once again the police were there almost instantly. As trams were trapped, passengers disembarked and were redirected. With a helicopter hovering overhead, the police waited patiently. They allowed plenty of time for the protest and for the many cameramen and bystanders to film and take photos.

Then they gave warnings through a loudspeaker that it was time to clear the street and that those who didn't would be arrested. There was another long gap before they slowly, and with just a few scuffles, methodically arrested those who wanted to be arrested.

Protesters banged drums, clanged cymbals, jangled bicycle bells and booed the police as each person was led away to the Sheriff's van. As the protesters were removed, others sat down to take their places.

Finally at 2.25 pm the rattle of an orange street car was heard and Market Street began to rumble back into life. The remaining protesters took a break and a police officer pulled bottles of water from a van and handed them out to her colleagues.

Walking away from the protest site, life was continuing as normal. As I waited at traffic lights near Union Square a Chinese lad turned to me and asked: 'Where is the Disney store?'

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Fifth Anniversary of Iraq War - early morning

Today is the Fifth Anniversary of the Iraq War and anti-war protesters made an early start.

By 7.00 am Direct Action to Stop the War were gathering in the financial district to blockade the offices of major corporations who they say are benefiting from the war.

Not long after, Women for Peace all in pink were trying to engage with commuters pouring from a subway. They were offering paper coffee mugs with a 'War Bucks' logo and a little pink slip of paper inside asking people to support their efforts.

Of the troops, Susan said, 'I feel like they are all my family. All the American soldiers are my sons and daughters and all the Iraqi children are my children. The Iraqi people are my brothers and sisters.

'If we all felt like that, there wouldn't be any war,' she added.

Susan indicated to the commuters who were ignoring her in droves. 'I see sad, tired faces and when people are asleep like this, that's when the government are able to do what they are doing,' she said.

One of her placards read: 'Wake Up America!'

Acknowledging the high profile of the coming presidential election, she said, 'Democracy is not to be had, it is to do. It's only us who can do it. We can't depend on one person to do it.'

I tried to speak to some of the commuters. What did they think of the protest? The war? But no-one wanted to stop and comment. I probably looked like part of the protest and they were wary. They also, as Susan said, looked stressed and preoccupied as they made their early-morning dash to work.

I went back to Susan and told her no-one would speak to me. She is there at the plaza on Market Street every week.

'Americans don't stop,' she said. 'Eighty per cent of people who stop are internationals.'

Alongside her group were Iraq Moratorium and as I left a woman handed me a sheet of paper with a black ribbon pinned to it with names of local congressmen and a telephone number to ring to request them to stop funding the war.

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