Report from Bush protest in Santa Monica

by Fellow Traveler Saturday, Aug. 14, 2004 at 12:39 AM

Protest was tame, probably about 1000 anti-bush people and 200 pro bush people.

Report from Bush pro...
cops_antibush.jpg, image/jpeg, 1600x1200

I got to 31st and Santa Monica at about 3:45 and at that time there were more pro-bush people than anti-bush. Probably due to the republicans telling their people to get there at three. I heard that the republicans were bussed in. Anyway there was a steady trickle of anti bush people and there were probably 1000 by 4:30. The anti bush crowd was pretty diverse, young and old, white and minority, Kerry supporters, Greens, ANSWER, and other radicals. A small black bloc made an appearence at about 5 and the cops seemed to get a bit worried at first but nothing came of it.

Obviously Bush didn't drive in through 31st street, but the donors did. So we made lots of noise but nothing else materialized. I stood over on the pro bush side for a while, had one intelligent dicscussion with a republican, and the rest seemed so stupid. My friend had an adbsuters "corporate america" flag and some republican commented that "Thats not even an American flag!" In her anger she obviously missed the sarcasim.

All told I'm glag that there were people there protesting, although I wish there had been more and someone planned something more than just chanting and holding signs cause the people there defiantely hated bush.

Original: Report from Bush protest in Santa Monica