Vigils

Monday Vigil (on vacation for the summer 2013)—Oakland

Abraham Lincoln Brigade veteran Hilda Roberts hands out flyers.

Noon, Oakland Federal Building, 1301 Clay St.

Two short blocks from the 12th Street BART Station.

The weekly Oakland vigil was begun in the spring of 1998, shortly after Madeline Albright toured the country in her unsuccessful attempt to gain support for a war against Iraq. After a civil disobedience action to oppose the proposed attack, Ecumenical Peace Institute/CALC and Mustardseed Affinity Group decided to organize a weekly vigil to call for an end to the sanctions which were causing the deaths of 5,000 Iraqi children each month.

The vigil has continued since that time and other sponsors have joined in the effort. The focus has changed. We now call for an immediate end to the war and the occupation of Afghanistan, a complete withdrawal from Iraq, and a cessation of all U.S. hostile actions in Western Asia. Each week we hand out approximately three hundred flyers. Usually they are different each week, unless upcoming events are being announced.

Please join us.

Call President Obama at the White House: 202-456-1111
Ask him to end all US military actions in the Middle East, bring our troops home, leave behind no bases, and to use the international legal system in all future conflicts.

Call your congressperson and senators 1-866-338-1015

Tell them  ––> No more money for occupation in Iraq or Afghanistan!

––>> Don’t Attack Iran! ––>> End drone warfare

––>Tell them ––>Bring our troops home now!   No more money for occupation!

Join the Vigil • Noon – 1:00 p.m. • Each Monday • Oakland Federal Building • 1301 Clay St.

Berkeley Women in Black • East Bay Coalition to Support Self-Rule for Iraqis • Bay Area Labor Committee for Peace and Justice • Peace & Freedom Party • BFUU Social Justice Committee • Gray Panthers • Mustardseed Affinity Group • Father Bill Social Justice Committee, St. Joseph Church • Middle East Children’s Alliance • Trinity United Methodist Church • East Bay Peace Action • Southern Alameda County Peace & Justice Coalition • Ecumenical Peace Institute • (510) 655-1162

November 2006, from Berkeley Daily Planet

Living Graveyard—Oakland

Third Mondays, Noon, Oakland Federal Building, 1301 Clay St.

Two short blocks from the 12th Street BART Station.

Covered with sheets to represent the dead of the war of occupation on Iraq, people lie down on the city sidewalk in front of the Federal Building. This is legal, non-violent witness. People stop, look and think.

Participants lie at least three feet apart and do not block entry to the building. The names of some of the Californians who have died in Iraq and the names of some of the Iraqi dead will be read. People will hand out flyers, as we do each week at the Monday noon vigil.

Please bring a white sheet to cover yourself with. A pad to lie on is recommended.

Sponsors include: Berkeley Women in Black • East Bay Coalition to Support Self-Rule for Iraqis • Bay Area Labor Committee for Peace and Justice • Peace & Freedom Party • BFUU Social Justice Committee • Gray Panthers • Mustardseed Affinity Group • Father Bill Social Justice Committee, St Joseph Church • Middle East Children’s Alliance • Trinity United Methodist Church • East Bay Peace Action • Southern Alameda County Peace & Justice Coalition • Ecumenical Peace Institute • (510) 655-1162

Haight Ashbury Peace Vigil—San Francisco

Masonic and Fell, in the Golden Gate Park Panhandle

Every third Friday of the Month, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., at the corner of Masonic and Fell, in the Golden Gate Park Panhandle. Express your opposition to war. We will have signs, candles, music, and cookies. Come for the full two hours, or join us for five minutes. Everybody opposed to war is welcome.

Click here to see pictures of the vigil.

CodePINK Counter Recruitment at the Berkeley Marine Recruiting Station

64 Shattuck Square, Berkeley, CA

Thursdays from Noon to 1:00 p.m.

Come stand with CodePINK and other anti-war activists in front of the MRS (Marine Recruiting Station) every Thursday from noon – 5. Engage in dialogue with those in danger of being recruited and with the soldiers that are doing the recruiting! Hold banners, signs, and hand out flyers. Be a HOT PINK presence for peace and against all wars & occupations, including the looming threats of war on Iran. For more information, contact Leeza at 510-845-6156 (not before 10am please).

Thursday Peace Vigil—San Francisco

Noon, Federal Building, Golden Gate Ave. & Larkin St.

From Chris M’s blog, Tables, Chairs and Oaken Chests:

As some of us have done every week since 2001, we stand here in witness to another way forward: a way of listening, mutual respect and understanding, of reflection, repentance and reconciliation. As people of many organized faiths and none, and as people of the United States, we take this time to focus on our own responsibility and on what we can do to address our complicity in the violent and soul-denying policies our government pursues at home and throughout the world. For some of us it is an opportunity to pray, to examine our lives for the seeds of war and to begin the work of removing them…

We invite all in agreement to join us. We vigil every Thursday from noon until 1:00 PM here at the old San Francisco federal building on the corner of Larkin Street and Golden Gate Avenue.

The vigil was started by two Quaker groups—American Friends Service Committee and San Francisco Friends Meeting, who have now been joined by Buddhist Peace Fellowship and Episcopal Peace Fellowship. Participants come from a range of backgrounds. Some of us are silent, praying or meditating. Others do not keep silence and are happy to speak with you.

Other participants are Judith Ross from Military Families Speak Out and SF Mike who writes about the vigil in his blog including entries such as War, Bonds and Drugs, Iraq and the Blogs, The Murder Cult (with a quote from Voltaire mentioning Quakers), Get Out of Iraq Now, Why Are We Still in Iraq? and Ring Around the Federal Building.

Rossmoor Grandparents for Peace Weekly Vigil—Walnut Creek

Tice Valley Blvd and Rossmoor Parkway

Fridays from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Corner of Tice Valley Blvd and Rossmoor Parkway in front of Rossmoor sign.

All are welcome. Signs and cheers provided. Attendance at the vigil is increasing. We have many regulars but would love to see new faces.

For more information, call Bob Hanson at 944-3366 or doctoroutdoors[at]comcast[dot]net.

Saint Mary’s College Peace Vigil—St. Mary’s College

Saint Mary’s College of California, 1928 Saint Mary’s Road, Moraga

At the Peace Pole near the Student Union.

Wednesdays, Noon to 1:00 p.m.: The peace vigil at Saint Mary’s College of California in Moraga will resume on February 18, 2009, at the Peace Pole near the Student Union. Some signs are provided, but you can bring a small one of your own with peaceful messages. Bring your sandwich and a hat. We don’t meet if it rains. For information email Janet at codepinkjanet[at]gmail[dot]com.