Following recent military strikes by the U.S. on Iranian nuclear sites, protesters took to the streets across the Bay Area on Sunday, expressing their opposition to the actions taken by the U.S. government.
Demonstrators gathered in various cities, including San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, and Livermore, organized by a diverse coalition of groups unified against what they view as an escalation of conflict in the region.
In San Francisco, hundreds convened at Embarcadero Plaza for a march entitled ‘Stop the War on Iran,’ supported by over fifteen local organizations.
Ramsey Robinson, a representative of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, spoke passionately about the anti-war sentiment among the protesters.
‘We are not going to be fooled; we are anti-war. We stand with the Iranian people, and we want to prevent more war deaths, more destruction, and we refuse to get pulled into another global war,’ Robinson stated.
As the protesters marched down Market Street, they made their discontent known with chants and signs, highlighting a broad spectrum of opinions regarding U.S. intervention.
‘I’m really sad to see what’s happening and to see that the people are ultimately the ones that suffer with these reckless decisions,’ expressed San Francisco resident Shireen Hahighi, whose father is Persian.
Hahighi continued, ‘I don’t think most Iranians are happy with the current regime, but this, in my opinion, is not the answer.’
Another attendee, Sabina Wildman, emphasized that strikes would not bring peace.
‘These strikes are not good for anyone, and people don’t want another war,’ she declared.
The U.S. military strikes have drawn criticism not only from the public but also from some Congressional leaders questioning their legality.
Delilah Shank, also from San Francisco, voiced her disbelief about the extent of the strikes, stating, ‘I can’t believe he had gone that far unconstitutionally. It’s insane.’
Vice President J.D. Vance defended the actions during an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, arguing that the U.S. is not at war with Iran but rather targeting Iran’s nuclear program.
‘What we did was destroy the Iranian nuclear program,’ Vance claimed.
‘I think that we set that program back substantially, and we did it without endangering the lives of American pilots. That’s incredible, and I think we should be proud.’
In contrast, President Donald Trump called for peace between Iran and Israel, which raised eyebrows given the context of the strikes.
Hessam, a resident of the East Bay originally from Iran, criticized the approach of the Trump administration.
‘It was quite astonishing to see that the Trump administration is trying to achieve peace by bombing another sovereign nation who is already under attack by another entity,’ he remarked.
Concerned for family and friends in Iran, Hessam added, ‘the aggression needs to be stopped.’
Meanwhile, a separate rally known as Bay Area 4 Iran also took place in San Francisco. This event focused on opposition to war while expressing support for the Iranian people’s struggle against the Islamic Republic.
Ardavan Amini, a representative of this group, articulated a nuanced perspective, saying, ‘We don’t want foreign interference or military intervention in the country, but we also don’t want the existing government that is silencing people, suppressing people.’
In Livermore, a vigil and protest hosted by Indivisible Tri-Valley Indivisible attracted around 70 attendees, highlighting that the unrest transcended city boundaries.
Protests were also witnessed in cities across the nation, including New York City, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.
In San Francisco, future protests are already being planned by local organizers.
‘We hope that more and more people come out; we need hundreds of thousands, we need millions of people to come together to fight this,’ Robinson concluded.
image source from：nbcbayarea
