San Francisco rally: ‘U.S. out of Korea’
San Francisco, CA – On the afternoon of August 15, 100 people gathered in front of the San Francisco Federal Building for a national day of action to demand, “U.S. out of Korea” and “No to a Pacific war.”
Protesters chanted, “No boots on the ground, no bombs in the air! U.S. out of everywhere!” and “From Korea to the Philippines, stop the U.S. war machine!”
Many held signs reading “Stop U.S.-Korea war games” alongside giant cartoon heads of President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae
A speaker from Bayan explained the Negros 19 Massacre, where the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) claimed to kill 19 New People’s Army fighters. However, family and the people’s movement clarified that nine were civilians, including teens, college students and journalists. U.S tax dollars go to arm and train the AFP who commit these human rights violations in their war.
They further explained, “Marcos Jr. and his cronies sell out the Filipino people in service of U.S. imperialism and giving foreign monopoly capitalist like American Sugar Refining, the parent company of C&H Sugar, unbridled access to plunder our rich resources by keeping peasant farmers from asserting their right to land.”
The C&H factory workers in nearby Crockett, California, members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 6, recently went on strike. That factory is connected to sugarcane sources from the Philippines.
“We will fight for our dignity and our right to determine our own future!” said Heath Lee from Nodutdol, reflecting the growing trend against U.S. military forces occupying bases in Korea.
Lee continued, “Our demand is clear: the United States must leave Korea, like it must leave the Philippines, Palestine, Puerto Rico, Guam, Panama, Okinawa and everywhere else!”
A representative of Palestinian Youth Movement expressed the unity and solidarity between the liberation struggles of Palestine, Korea and the Philippines.
The rally alternated speeches with singing performances as well as militant and energizing drumming performances. The program included speakers from Nodutdol, Bayan, Gabriela, International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines, and the Palestinian Youth Movement.