Several hundred people gathered outside the Federal Building at Seventh and Mission Streets in San Francisco on Saturday afternoon to protest the massive U.S.-Israeli military operation against Iran that began around 1 a.m. EST.
“I’m here to call for no war in Iran, no foreign intervention in the country,” said Yasmine Mortazavi, an Iranian American organizer for the Party for Socialism and Liberation, one of several Bay Area groups that organized the event.
She said the protest was personal.
“I have friends and family in Iran, who I haven’t been able to talk to,” she said. “I assume my family is fleeing their city as we speak.”
Iranian state media reported Saturday evening that at least 201 people had been killed and more than 700 injured. The dead reportedly include more than 100 people killed in an Israeli air strike on an elementary girls’ school in the southern city of Minab.
Nina Vishwakarma, a San Francisco resident, said she was particularly shaken by reports of the bombing of the girls’ school.
“We’re tired of U.S. intervention in the Middle East, and of Israel’s action in the Middle East,” she said. “We don’t want manufactured consent for this war. The narrative seems to always be about protecting the rights of girls, but today it was a girls’ school that was bombed.”
President Donald Trump announced Saturday afternoon that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed.
The strikes occurred shortly after renewed U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, during which Trump pressured Tehran to limit its nuclear program as he deployed additional warships to the region.
Iran’s government has faced mounting civil unrest in recent weeks, with economic protests evolving into broader anti-government demonstrations. The Iranian government reportedly killed thousands in cracking down on the protests.
“I don’t support bombing countries for whatever Trump is looking for — oil or power in the Middle East,” said Fern, a student at San Francisco State University who declined to provide her last name. “My best friend has family in Iran, and I’m terrified for her.”
The “No War on Iran” event featured speakers from the Palestinian Youth Movement, who led the crowd with chants condemning the joint U.S.-Israeli operation as a war crime. By 4 p.m., the crowd of approximately 300 demonstrators had scattered across Seventh Street, between Stevenson and Mission Streets, with many carrying signs calling for peace and respect for human rights.
Only 21 percent of Americans supported a war with Iran before today’s strikes, according to a poll from the University of Maryland taken earlier in February. Forty-nine percent opposed.
A few protesters carried signs suggesting the air strikes were intended to divert attention from the U.S. Department of Justice’s abortive and piecemeal release of the Epstein files, a developing controversy that Trump has sought to downplay.
“I’m here to support a message of peace and the gospel, and to speak up for those harmed in this war,” said The Rev. Richard E. Helmer of Grace Cathedral. “We stand in solidarity for a perpetual and just world.”
Speakers led the crowd with chants of, “From the belly of the beast, hands off the Middle East,” as drummers from Nodutdol, a Korean American advocacy organization, set a steady background rhythm.
“We view the recent attacks as part of an ongoing imperialist operation in the Middle East,” said Simon Ma, an organizer with Notudol.
“We know the history of the U.S. as an aggressor. The U.S. dropped approximately 635,000 tons of bombs on Korea. We intimately know the violence,” he said, referring to the Korean War of 1950 to 1953.
Nick S., a Berkeley resident, was one of many U.S. Army veterans who carried anti-Trump protest signs. “I have a lot of friends serving, and I don’t want to see them die. We’ve seen children bombed in Iran already,” he said. “When you go to war, you’re stained eternally.”
Love seeing the joyful pics of the people celebrating in L.A. Such a beautiful sight to see.
This report mentions the group Nodutdol. Isn’t that an openly and rather fanatically pro-North Korean group? Why would anyone participate in a protest rally with them?
what is the MAGA base is going to do? elected on “no more wars”, will stop the Russian war on day 1, will be releasing the Epstein files, everyone will get money from tarifs, manufacturing will be coming back to the USA bal bla bla..instead we got nazi goons running around, CEO’s on their knees so they can make more money, senile orange man family making tons of money, white collar crimes committed from morning to night, etc etc..So MAGA dudes what you gonna do? you got taken big time..your cult leader is bombing another country, with no plans with the help of a genocidal country which has a plan and so far they are succeeding, killing a lot of school girls in Iran. Bravo MAGA dudes and the cult, I mean the ex republican party.
To my liberal friends: As an Iranian-American living in San Francisco for over a decade, I ask you not to dismiss those of us supporting regime change as naive. We are fully aware of the political motivations at play, but we see no other path forward. After 47 years of execution, imprisonment, and the systematic oppression of women, the Iranian people have exhausted all internal options. Tens of thousands died this year alone; doing this from within is no longer possible.
There is a monster in our midst. It’s name is TRUMP. He bears a resemblance to another monster and crazy human whose name was HITLER. He, too, can lead us into another world war to cover up his own illicit behavior by pretending to save the world from murderous dictators. Look in the mirror chump.
Syria, Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc ..Regime change ? the US will never learn..it does not work.Too scared to put boots on the ground because coffins will be coming home, not a good image before the elections…instead they are asking the civilians to go on the street to topple the regime while dropping tons of bombs on them with your tax payer money…the regime will survive (and i am not a fan) and the US will somehow claim victory..again..remember “Mission accomplished”? lol..and the dude i am sure still want the Nobel for peace..another lol..Not lol , all the school girls and civilians they are murdering right now. Any life in Congress? nope, a cult like the ex republican party..they are all on their knees like the CEO’s.And for luminaries here who are obsessed with the hair color of the people protesting, get a life or get an education or both.
Iran slaughters tens of thousands of innocent people and not a peep out of this bunch, but a school gets hit and THAT matters. Go figure.
What, you think this is a humanitarian operation from our authoritarian president? Get serious!
Ivan, this is “a few hudred” protesters in a city of 800,000 and an area of 5 million.
There are probably that many Bay Areans who think the earth is flat.
That’s because thus far, a remainder of the regime has remained in power, with no real plan how they’re going to get unseated. And the US and Israel have put all the excuses into the world for protesters and a movement of the people getting put down without any regard. This attack is a pure rolling of the dice. Nobody really expects for Israel to care about the people in exchange for maximum damage, but we are looking like a bunch of fools right now.
Interesting that almost all of these “protesters” are whites or highly biased pro Palestinians, very few actual Persians. That’s because the overwhelming majority of Persians actually support toppling the ayatollahs. And not a peep from them over the 30,000+ Iranians recently murdered by their own government. These people are ridiculous and misguided. But thanks for covering this clown show, while ignoring (or not even mentioning) the numerous pro Iranian regime change protests that occurred throughout the Bay Area.
Because this went over so well in Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan. Americans don’t want another forever war!
Iranian-Americans who believe this assault has any chance of moving Iran towards their ideal are bound to be disappointed. Some are less naive than others:
“Ultimately, state collapse, civil war and a reshaping of authoritarian governance in Iran are far more likely to flow from bombing than human rights and democracy.” — National Iranian American Council
And btw, the 30k figure you note is a number drawn from a hat. The killings were shocking and extensive, but that figure is highly suspect and was thrown out to be used precisely how you used it.
This is exactly what Venezuelan-Americans were saying two months ago. Lotta good that did Venezuelans. Morning has changed for people on the ground. Just more rubble and blood to mop up. Bombing doesn’t actually improve outcomes for anyone.
List of undemocratic rogue regimes in the world (by rogue I mean countries not following international rules or laws) : #1 Israel # 2 Russia # 3 our beautiful country the US of A (complains/down votes are coming since usually we are #1 everywhere but no worries, we are on the way to catch Russia) #4 up for debate since North Korea is not attacking anyone right now except sending troops to Russia.