This morning Code Pink greeted rush hour traffic coming into San Francisco waving hands in the "V" peace sign. The forty or so marchers were barred from carrying any kind of banner, but they did a good job of catching the attention of passing drivers with no props but their pink presence and their enthusiasm.
On the San Francisco end of the bridge, police checked out each walker for illegal signs.
Protesters demanded to know "why?"
But soon enough, marchers made it out onto the bridge.
Most responses were friendly, despite the protesters' motorcycle escort. Quite a few big rig drivers leaned on their klaxons and waved "thumbs up."
Though some protestors brought out signs from under their clothes and police response snarled traffic slightly, most of the marchers' effect came simply from placing a mass of pink people in an unexpected place. In a season when I'm reviewing political signs, I have to say congratulations to Code Pink for creating a pretty recognizable brand simply by repeating a color. That's messaging that works.
2 comments:
Dear Jan: Something that hasn't been made clear to me in any of the coverage of this event was whether the Code Pink people ever stopped traffic, as in, walked into the roadway, or was it the police who caused all the traffic delays?
And you're right, their branding is awesome.
No -- no stopping traffic. Any traffic problems had to do with dirvers slowing to look and cops blocking off one lane in the hope that somehow then they would be "in control." It is remarkable how easily a very small number of determined middle class women can unsettle a police force.
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