BY CAROLINE LUND
SAN FRANCISCO — In the largest protest march since the 1991 Gulf War, tens of thousands of Californians demonstrated April 20 against Israel's murderous assault on the Palestinian people. The San Francisco Chronicle estimated "at least 20,000", but protest organisers reported 30,000.
The original target of the protest was to be against "the real axis of evil: war, racism, poverty", but the Middle East became the overwhelming focus of the demonstration, as Israel's bulldozing of Palestinian towns created a pent-up anger and the heroic resistance of the Palestinians gave inspiration to millions. Thousands of Palestinians and other Arabs joined the demonstration. For many, it was the first time they had participated in a public protest action.
Also prominent participants in the crowd were Jews who disagree with Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands. A commonly seen T-shirt read: "Another Jew against the oppression of the Palestinian people."
The march was colourful, boisterous, and imaginative, with lots of home-made signs, large puppets, bands, dancers, and the drill team of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, marching with their dockworkers' hooks.
Many other issues raised by contingents in the march — opposition to policies of the World Bank; to US troops in the Philippines, Colombia, and Vieques, Puerto Rico; to the bombing of Afghanistan; to the persecution of Mumia Abu-Jamal.
A large banner called for freedom for the five Cubans recently imprisoned in the US for spying (really, for seeking information to prevent terrorist attacks on Cuba by the "Miami Mafia").
Another sign read simply: "We are not worth more, and they are not worth less."
Labour participation was minimal but very important. A contingent was organised by Labor for Peace and Justice, a Bay-Area-based group of union activists who oppose both President George Bush's "war on terrorism" and its domestic impact on civil liberties and workers' rights. Also marching in the protest were airport screeners whose jobs are threatened by post-September 11 anti-immigrant restrictions.
From 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly, May 1, 2002.
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