NO to Escalation (part 5)Night march on Market St.

It wouldn't be a day of antiwar protest in San Francisco if some portion of the protest didn't included marchers on Market Street at night. Yesterday was no exception.

These days the Market St. events are usually called by ANSWER. The marchers aren't members of ANSWER; they just go because this is the customary protest. In fact, probably the majority of marchers at these events would identify with contemporary anarchism.

Someday I'll have to write the story of how a few friends and I turned around one of these massive night marches during Gulf War I; we didn't want the protest drawing the police into our vulnerable neighborhood, so we persuaded some kids with a banner and drums to head off in a safer direction and most people followed. Not a model of discipline or organization, but good exercise (of initiative and free speech).

Anyway, last night was a usual night of protest on Market. I have to admit I missed most of it. But here are some pictures of theatrical stragglers I ran across on the street after the concurrent Code Pink vigil.






If you are visiting San Francisco and some noxious political event happens, don't miss Market St. at 6pm. You could get your picture taken with a new friend.

Part 1 here; part 2 here; part 3 here; part 4 here.