SF: UPDATE: DOZENS ARRESTED IN ANTI-WAR DEMONSTRATIONS, PROTESTS ONGOING SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)
Various groups of protesters armed with signs and megaphones were chanting and singing as they blocked the downtown streets of San Francisco today, part of multiple demonstrations to mark fifth anniversary of the Iraq war.
As of about 2:30 p.m., about 115 protesters had been arrested for trespassing, resisting arrest or obstructing traffic at different demonstrations, according to police.
At about 11 a.m., after dozens of protesters and police walked around streets such as Kearny and Market, police arrested 22 protesters who stopped at Market and Third Streets to lie on the ground for an hour. By that time, big pockets of protesters were contained to surrounding sidewalk corners by a row of officers with batons.
A representative of Collective Liberation, a group that fights against the racism of whites, who said her friends were among the 22 arrested said the traffic-stopping demonstration was to give a voice to those who didn't have one today.
"A majority of this country opposes the war but they all couldn't be here. We represent the people who couldn't make it,'' said Clare Bayard of Collective Liberation.
The group of 12 females and 11 males, were holding signs such as, "War kills everyone but corporate $,'' and chanting phrases such as, "Whose Streets? Our Streets,'' until they were arrested for obstructing traffic.
Among the first few arrested was blogger Josh Wolf, who ran for San Francisco mayor and served 226 days in prison for withholding evidence from the federal government.
One of the last men arrested at the demonstration, Webb Mealy, said he was also arrested at the first war protest in 2003. He made a sign about 25-feet long that read "UNPROVOKED WAR IS MASS MURDER,'' which was taken down by police just before they detained the group on the ground.
San Francisco police Sgt. Steve Mannina said that earlier today 14 people were arrested at the new Federal Building at 101 Market St. for trespassing and resisting arrest and seven people were arrested on the same charges at Chevron Energy Solutions, 345 Beale St.
More events are scheduled throughout the evening, including a 5 p.m. Civic Center rally.