SF Bay Area

Report Back: Golden Gate Bridge Walk for Peace & Justice TODAY!

CODEPINK & ALLIES  STAND WITH JULIAN & DANIEL  
&  Rally for Peace at Speaker Pelosi’s SF Residence
by Toby Blomé
July 11, 2021
It was an amazing day of solidarity for justice & peace!  People came from as far away as Thousand Oaks, CA (John Jerpe) and Tuscon, Arizona (Pete Peterson)!  In spite of a foggy and windy summer day, a great crowd turned out on the Golden Gate Bridge to support Drone Whistleblower Daniel Hale and Journalist/Publisher Julian Assange, demanding their freedom as political prisoners.  ABC, Channel 7 showed up for both the bridge rally and walk.

After a very successful action on the bridge, most of the peace walkers hustled over to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s SF home to express our demands.  We were met there by a strong group of Asian American activists and others who collaborated with us in creative ways:
  Our Demands to Speaker Pelosi
-NO to The Eagle Act!  NO WAR ON CHINA!  Stop Asian Hate, NO MORE WARS!
-Free Julian Assange, Protect Press Freedom
-Free Daniel Hale, Protect Whistleblowers  (Prosecute the war criminals, not the truth-tellers!)
An enthusiastic group of about 3 dozen people were gathered for a common cause. The police were waiting for us when we arrived, just to make sure we “behaved ourselves.”  That meant we couldn’t attach our GIANT LETTERS to Pelosi’s garage door, as planned, so we settled on the sidewalk and Cynthia Papermaster’s car!  The letters urged Pelosi to influence President Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland to drop all the trumped up charges on Hale and Assange, and to release them from wrongful imprisonment.  Wonderful speeches from many who came, including a very moving one by SF VFP Mike Wong on China vs. the USA, a reading of a letter from prison from Daniel Hale to Susan Witka, a heartfelt speech by Jodie Evans calling for the world we want to see (co-founder of CODEPINK), and many others.
Ultimately Nancy Mancias, Cynthia Papermaster, and myself made a quick dash to Pelosi’s front door to hand deliver 3 petitions, signed by thousands of Americans, each petition addressing the 3 demands listed above.   We call on Speaker Pelosi to NOT be silent and take action to better represent her constituency.
Wonderful songs by Francis Collins and John Jerpe both at the bridge and at Pelosi’s home.
Thanks to Jeanie Schmidt of Half Moon Bay, who couldn’t join us, but entrusted us with her beautiful signs and banners supporting Julian Assange.  Check out her Assange support effort:  https://bayaction2freeassange.org/
Laura’s homemade chocolate chip cookies and Cynthia’s cupcakes (with attached “calls to action” flags) sustained us.  It was an invigorating and empowering day of unity.  As activists we could do so much more if we collaborate more as we did today….helping to build a more diverse and mutually supportive community fighting together for the world we all want to see.
And, of course, a day at Pelosi’s would not be complete without a proper chalking out!  (see photos)
Special thanks to Cynthia Papermaster who put in tons of hours preparing for the day, (she way outdid me) and to Nancy Mancias, who always brings tremendous grace and style to any action, creating a welcoming place for all!
Check out these photos that tell more than words ever can!

 

CODEPINK Co-founder Jodie Evans
Nancy Mancias preparing delivery of the 3 petitions to support Assange and Hale, and to oppose The Eagle Act!
Martha & Renay
 Peterson from Tuscon
Donna Wallach from San Jose!
A new friend who just jumped in to help complete details on the letter!
We can’t say good-bye to Pelosi, without giving her a chalkingly warm welcome.
Cynthia and Nancy with our furry friend “Lucky.”

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CodePink is a women's grassroots-initiated, worldwide organization of women and men working for peace, social justice and a green economy. CodePink SF serves the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.


 

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The national CodePink organization organizes for justice for Iraqis and to hold war criminals accountable. CodePink actively opposes the U.S. war in Afghanistan, torture, the detention center at Guantanamo, weaponized and spy drones, the prosecution of whistleblowers, U.S. support for the Israeli occupation of Palestine and repressive regimes.

Rooted in a network of local organizers, CodePink's tactics include satire, street theatre, creative visuals, civil resistance, and directly challenging powerful decision-makers in government and corporations. And, of course, wearing pink!