FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 8, 2024
Media Contact: Melissa Garriga | [email protected]
Community Leaders, Faith Groups, and Activists to March and Rally, Demanding Senators Padilla and Butler Vote to Block $20 Billion Arms Sale to Israel
San Francisco, CA—On Veterans and Armistice Day, CODEPINK San Francisco will join faith leaders, labor organizers, immigrant rights advocates, veterans, and community activists to march from the Embarcadero to the office of Senator Alex Padilla in San Francisco. The group is calling on California Senators Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler to vote in favor of Senate Joint Resolutions of Disapproval, aimed at blocking a $20 billion U.S. arms sale to Israel. The rally and march will feature a street mural, a children’s memorial altar with children’s shoes, banners, and direct action outside blocking Padilla's office.
Event Details
- 11:00 AM - March begins at Harry Bridges Plaza (across from Ferry Building)
- 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM - Rally and Speak-Out at Senator Padilla’s Office, 333 Bush St., San Francisco.
Participating Organizations
- Interfaith 4 Ceasefire
- Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity
- Jewish Voice for Peace – Bay Area
- Veterans for Peace
- San Francisco Bay Resistance
- CODEPINK Bay Area
- Chavurah for a Free Palestine
The action underscores the public’s demand for a reallocation of funds to pressing domestic needs such as housing, healthcare, and education.
“The U.S. cannot continue to fund the destruction of homes, hospitals, schools, and communities in Gaza and Lebanon. We’re calling on Senators Padilla and Butler to take a moral stand by voting for the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval next week. The world is watching how the U.S. chooses to engage with this crisis," explained organizer Cynthia Papermaster.
Organizers note that U.S. weapons are being used in ways that contravene U.S. laws, killing civilians, including children, medical personnel, journalists, and educators. By rallying on Veterans and Armistice Day, the peace activists draw attention to the United States' role in perpetuating violence in the Middle East.
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