Fort Collins Against War rally demands ‘No war on Iran!’
Fort Collins, CO – On Wednesday, September 16, two dozen Fort Collins community members gathered at Oak Street Plaza for the first public rally organized by Fort Collins Against War, a new affiliate of the Anti-War Action Network. The demonstration was held as part of a nationwide day of action calling for an end to the U.S. war on Iran. September 16 marked 200 days since the beginning of the current attacks on Iran.
The protesters held signs, chanted, chalked sidewalks and spoke with passersby about the consequences of U.S. military intervention. Several people passing through the plaza expressed their support, with one individual ultimately joining the demonstration midway through the action.
The rally brought together both longtime Fort Collins organizers and people participating in anti-war organizing for the first time. Among those in attendance was a retired Iranian professor and activist who drove more than an hour to participate in the demonstration. The gathering comes amid a war that has resulted in thousands of deaths and widespread destruction in Iran.
A member of Denver Anti-War Action (DAWA), Hatem Teirelbar, told the crowd, “We the working people of the U.S. are not one degree safer because of these wars. U.S. aggression and imperialism puts us all in danger. It endangers the lives of the people being attacked, and it endangers our livelihoods.”
Teirelbar continued, saying, “Our enemies are well-funded and well-equipped. The only way we win is by out-organizing them. We must fight the war machine on every front!”
Woodward, Inc., with global corporate headquarters locatedj in Fort Collins, manufactures components used in military operations and has multiple contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense. Teirelbar addressed Woodward Inc. in his closing demands, saying, “Shut down the Lockheed and Woodward plants! Divest our pensions from the war machine! Confront our elected representatives at their offices, town halls, at every opportunity.”
Fort Collins Against War members expressed excitement at the turnout of the action, and members were eager to make plans for future activity.