FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2025
Media Contact: Melissa Garriga | [email protected]
10th Annual L.A. Harbor Peace Week Challenges Militarization with Community-Led Resistance
Week of Action Counters "Fleet Week" with Vigils, Car Caravans, and Grassroots Peace Advocacy
SAN PEDRO, CA — For the past 10 years, the L.A. Harbor Peace Week has stood as an alternative to the U.S. military’s "Fleet Week," transforming San Pedro’s waterfront from a celebration of war into a hub for peace education and action. From May 22–27, 2025, activists, faith leaders, and community members will gather to resist the annual glorification of militarism, including polluting flyovers, warship displays, and youth recruitment, and instead amplify solutions for justice and demilitarization.
"Fleet Week turns our public spaces into a war fair, normalizing violence and imperialism," says organizer Rachel Bruhnke. "Peace Week is our answer: a reminder that our communities deserve investment in life, not weapons."
HIGHLIGHTED EVENTS:
FRIDAY, MAY 23
- 4 PM: Peace Vigil at Fort MacArthur Air Force Housing (23rd/Pacific Ave.)
- 5 PM: Weekly Rally for Palestine at Vons (1221 S Gaffey St)
- 6 PM: Car Caravan to Wilmington Fleet Week "Welcome Party" (Meet at Vons, drive to Banning Park)
SATURDAY, MAY 24
- 11 AM–2 PM: Flyering at USS Iowa (444 S Harbor Blvd)
- 5–7 PM: Party for Peace, Not for War at West Harbor (6th St & Waterfront Promenade)
SUNDAY, MAY 25
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1–4 PM: Interfaith Peace Gathering + Flyering at USS Iowa
MONDAY, MAY 26
- 11 AM: "Recruit for Peace, Not for War" Rally at Military Recruiting Office (Palos Verdes Dr. North/Western Ave.)
- 2–5 PM: Flyering at USS Iowa
- 5 PM: Peace Week Wind Down at The Green Onion (145 W 6th St)
Every year, Fleet Week draws 30,000+ attendees, promoting careers in war to youth while obscuring the human and environmental costs of militarism. The goal of Peace Week is to confront this propaganda with direct action:
- Exposing the $ billions wasted on warships amid crumbling social services.
- Challenging military recruitment targeting marginalized youth.
- Linking local struggles to global movements—from Palestine to anti-imperialist solidarity.
- "We can’t talk about climate justice, healthcare, or education without talking about the war machine draining our resources," says Bruhnke. "Peace Week is where we build the world we need."
For more information, please contact Rachel at [email protected].
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