REPORT BACK: 4th Consecutive Fleet Week Peace Action, October 7, 2023
By Sea and by Land, CODEPINK & Veterans For Peace Deglamorize the Blue Angels of Terror!
by Kathe Burick and Toby Blomé
CODEPINK and Veterans For Peace (VFP) made a noble stand on land and on the S.F. Bay to oppose U.S. militarism during Fleet Week on Saturday, October 7th. Small but mighty, on the side of international social and environmental justice, a land crew leafletted hundreds of Fleet Week onlookers along the S.F. shoreline, while CODEPINK and VFP members also promoted peace on the bay from their catamaran Peace Boat, Hokahey. Floating amongst and dodging a thick congestion of diverse boats on the Bay, the Hokahey could not be missed, with its large "WAGE PEACE” jib sail unfurled. Large banners, hanging from the rails, reminded boaters that “Real Angels Don’t Drop Bombs” and offered a bit of humor: “Bombers Rust in Peace.” Another large banner “U.S. Military = #1 Polluter” hung from Hokahey’s stern end, with colorful flags flying overhead, representing Veterans for Peace and CodePink’s intention to keep hope alive in our troubled world. The inter-generational peaceniks on Hokahey, including the millennial captains and their friends, strengthened that hope for a brighter future in a much more just and peaceful world.
Special thanks to:
- Jan Passion for graciously offering his lovely Hokahey catamaran for it's 4th consecutive Fleet Week Peace Boat procession.
- Emma Rosicky and Connor Mullins, Hokahey Crew extraordinaire
- Nadya Williams, land crew coordinator and her magnificent “By Land Peacemakers": Phil Josselyn, Paul Cox, Michael Stone and Ruben Diaz; (Leafleting from 11am to 3pm! They passed out hundreds of Peace & Planet News, and CODEPINK flyer on Fleet Week)
- Hokahey By Sea Peacemakers: VFP member Michael Kerr and CODEPINKers Kathe Burick, Susan Witka, Hadas Rivera-Weiss, Toby Blomé, and new friends, Anisha and Jacky.
More great photos of our powerful 2023 Fleet Week action:
Michael Kerr’s Photos and Jackie Chen’s Photos
Media coverage:
-KPFA Saturday Evening News (starts at 6:35)
-Latitude 38 Pre-event coverage. (Check out the last photo: Hokahey Peace Boat!).
(Please comment to the Latitude 38 article re: the dark side of militarism & Fleet Week)
Flashback from the Past: David Hartsough’s Video from Peace Flotilla 2018 (CODEPINK's first one) 
Photo by Connor Mullins
Photo by Michael Kerr
