1/16 SF Anti-War Demonstration

On January 16, 2002 at 5 p.m. at Powell and Market Streets, San Francisco, there will be an International Day of Protest demonstration for (1) No New War Against Iraq: End the Sanctions Now; (2) Stop the War Against Afghanistan! Stop Racist Profiling and Racist Attacks; (3) Fight Back to Defend Civil Rights & Liberties & Immigrant Rights; (4) Money for Jobs, Housing, Healthcare, not for War! This is part of the many Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday activities.

The organizations sponsoring this action are International Action Center, American Arab Ant-Discrimination Committee of San Francisco, American Muslims for Global Peace & Justice, Middle East Children's Alliance, Town Hall Committee to Stop War & Hate and Progress Unity Fund. Information can be obtained from 415/821-6545, E-mail at ANSWER [at] actionsfbay.org, or see http://www.InternationalANSWER.org
The call from http://www.iacenter.org is below:
CALL TO ACTION --
INTERNATIONAL DAYS OF PROTEST& COMMEMORATION, JAN. 15-21, 2002
The Intenational A.N.S.W.E.R. - Act Now to Stop War and End Racism - is calling for internationally coordinated days of protest from Jan. 15-21, 2002. Jan. 15 will mark the 72nd birthday of the great civil rights leader, and commemorations of his life will continue through Jan. 21. Jan. 16-17 will be the 11th anniversary of the start of the Gulf war.
In San Francisco on January 16th, a rally will be held at Powell and Market Streets at 5pm.
Today, the Bush administration and the Pentagon are intent on expanding their war against Afghanistan to many other countries. President George W. Bush has ominously stated that "2002 will be a war year." At the top of their list of proposed targets is Iraq, a country that has suffered 11 years of blockade and bombing, taking the lives of more than one-and-a-half million Iraqis, half children under the age of five years.
At the same time, the U.S. government is intensifying its war at home, attacking civil rights, civil liberties and immigrant rights. The war makers and big business are reaping additional billions in government subsidies, while there are no benefits for the millions of unemployed workers. Racial profiling has been legitimized by the government and racist attacks against Arab Americans, Muslims, South Asians and other communities of color are on the rise.
Dr. King represented in his lifetime the struggle against racism, war and injustice, both at home and abroad. On April 4, 1967, exactly one year before he was assassinated, Dr. King gave a famous speech in which he said: "The greatest purveyor of violence in the world today -- my own government."
We call upon all those who today stand against racism, war and injustice to organize an activity -- a demonstration, public meeting, vigil, picket, press conference or leafletting -- between Jan. 15 and Jan. 21, around these demands:
Stop the War! Stop Racial Profiling and Racist Attacks!
No New War Against Iraq -- End the Sanctions Now!
Defend Civil Liberties, Civil Rights and Immigrants Rights!
Money for Jobs, Housing, Education and Healthcare, Not for War or Corporate Giveaways!
Please let us know about the activity you are planning as soon as possible so that it can included in media releases.
For more info call A.N.S.W.E.R. at 415-821-6545