Five years since Congress voted to authorize the use of United States military troops in Iraq, at the sound of a bullhorn blasting, thousands of demonstrators dropped to the pavement on Market Street and South Van Ness, participating in a symbolic “die-in” on Saturday, Oct.  27.  This was the first part of a protest – one among many going on in other cities across the nation - against the war in Iraq.  For several minutes the protesters lay still on the ground, in an act that organizers such as A.N.S.W.E.R.  (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) and United for Peace and Justice said represented over one million Iraqis and Americans killed since the war first began in 2003.  The protesters then got up, after the photo shoot/ media frenzy ended, to continue their demonstration that started at the Civic Center and ended in Dolores Park.

Organizers estimated the number demonstrating was approximately 30,000 - composed of queer, straight, young, old, longtime activists, first-timers, students, workers, religious people, atheists, and even a few nude men.  They carried banners stating, “Stop oil addiction” and “Queers for Peace and Justice” as well as placards – both pre-printed and homemade – saying, “Bring the troops home now!” “End the war now!” and “Impeach Bush.”

Several demonstrators held huge peace signs made of artificial flowers or crepe paper on wooden poles.  Rainbow flags were interspersed throughout.  Taking up blocks and blocks of Market Street, activists chanted, “No blood for oil!” “No more war!” and “Silence shows compliance.”

Protesters collected around the front of City Hall to listen to impassioned speeches admonishing and reprimanding “Commander in Thief” President George W.  Bush and his hawk administration.  They said Americans – including Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and others – need to rebel and insist on a timely end to “this senseless war.”

When demonstrators arrived at Dolores Park, they witnessed hundreds of black boots that had been set up in rows on the grassy hills, commemorating the nearly 4,000 American soldiers who died in Iraq.  Each was tagged with the name of a soldier who had been killed.  Some demonstrators put cut flowers into some of the boots.  

More speeches were given, including candidate for Congress and well-known sit-in peace demonstrator, Gold Star Mother Cindy Sheehan.  She wanted citizens to vote in the 2008 elections for her instead of her opponent, incumbent House Speaker Representative Nancy Pelosi, because she felt Pelosi wasn’t calling for an immediate end to the war.  A Vietnam veteran spoke of his joy to see so many young people demonstrating, which reminded him of his days serving another senseless war, that time in the late ‘60s, when young people demonstrated and rioted until the war in Vietnam was finally called off.  Another speaker chided Bush for his flat out statement a few years ago, saying, “I am a war president.”

“More than 30,000 people have marched today in San Francisco.  This was a sign that the anti-war sentiment is the majority opinion,” stated Richard Becker, Western regional director of the ANSWER Coalition, who co-chaired the San Francisco demonstration.

“Coming six weeks after the National March and Die-In on September 15 in Washington, D.C., tens of thousands of people in more than a dozen cities took to the streets today to demand the end of the Iraq war now,” stated Sarah Sloan, national staff coordinator of the ANSWER Coalition.  The ANSWER Coalition and other anti-war organizations initiated the call for regional and local actions in June 2007.  

Regional and local demonstrations took place in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, New York City, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Boston, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Chattanooga and Jonesborough (TN), Salt Lake City, Denver, South Dakota, Rochester, and elsewhere.

ANSWER organizers said that in Los Angeles, more than 10,000 people took to the streets.  In Seattle, 7,000 protested.  In New York City, thousands marched from Union Square to lower Manhattan in a demonstration.  More than 5,000 marched in Boston.

Among the demonstrators at the San Francisco action were members from the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, QueerVision, various labor unions, Raging Grannies (older women who typically dress in dowdy clothes and wear grey wigs), and Code Pink (women who always wear the color pink and traditionally hand out pink slips for the President, indicating he needs to be fired).  One lady was festively dressed as the Statue of Liberty.  Both groups from Code Pink and Raging Grannies sang protest songs with their own updated anti-war lyrics.  The day ended with people lounging on the grass, chatting and congratulating themselves on not being apathetic, but doing their part to protest the war.