Community Corner

'No War With Iran' Rally Planned In Healdsburg

The Healdsburg demonstration is one of hundreds organized around the country by liberal advocacy groups Move on and Indivisible.

A demonstrator holds up a "No War On Iran" sign at a protest in downtown San Jose, California, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020.
A demonstrator holds up a "No War On Iran" sign at a protest in downtown San Jose, California, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020. (Shutterstock / Sundry Photography)

HEALDSBURG, CA — Demonstrators are expected to take to the streets of downtown Healdsburg and several other Bay Area communities Thursday evening to rally against the possibility of the U.S. entering into a war with Iran.

The local-level protests — planned as "peaceful" anti-war events — come days after the U.S. airstrike on Iran and killing of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani. In retaliation, Iran attacked two U.S. military bases in Iraq.

"We are protesting against this administration's movement and just hit the streets, because we just cannot sit at home and do nothing," said Kyoko Takayama, a local activist and rally organizer.

Find out what's happening in Healdsburgwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Liberal advocacy groups Move On and Indivisible are behind the anti-war demonstrations in Healdsburg, Northern California and many other communities throughout the United States. As of Wednesday afternoon, 309 protests had been organized, according to Nowarwithiran.org.

"Trump's reckless action has needlessly endangered countless lives of U.S. troops, Iraqis, Iranians, and countless other civilians," organizers wrote. "The devastation that a war with Iran could bring upon the earth and humanity cannot be overstated — millions of lives hang in the balance."

Find out what's happening in Healdsburgwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

At 5 p.m. Thursday in Healdsburg, community members are invited "to peacefully gather against war" at Healdsburg Plaza (Healdsburg Avenue and Matheson Street).

In the North Bay, rallies are also planned Thursday in Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Fairfield and Novato.

Rally organizers are using the hashtag #NoWarWithIran.

"Bring signs, lamination but mostly let's gather to unite our community with the message of peace," wrote Healdsburg's rally organizer, Katherine T.

According to NowarwithIran.org:

"A core principle shared by supporting organizations is a commitment to nonviolent, peaceful actions. All actions that are sponsored or organized on this page are intended to be nonviolent and peaceful. We expect all participants to act lawfully at all times and to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values."

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—Patch Local Editor Courtney Teague contributed to this report.


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