Posted on 03/21/2003 1:44:14 PM PST by FreedomPoster
The investigators carefully removed the homemade devices -- consisting of old liquor bottles filled with gasoline and having a wick -- and fingerprinted them. Police said the site where the devices were found was an area near 11th and Howard that had been traversed several times by a rather violent group demonstrators during Thursday's protests.
The backpack was found stashed under a bush.
"We will sustain this for many days. This is really just the start," said Jamie Hurlbut, a San Francisco office worker who was blocking downtown traffic as the sun came up Friday after spending eight hours in custody Thursday.
"I literally went to sleep and came back out to hit the streets again," he said.
From a morning die-in outside the federal building in Sacramento that resulted in 30 arrests to an attempt in Capitola to block entrance to a military recruiting center that ended in about a dozen arrests, actions ranging from tearful candlelight vigils to chaotic occupations of streets continued in earnest on Friday.
In Rohnert Park, Sonoma State University staff, faculty and students held a first day of spring rally while in Irvine, high school students were organizing a candelight vigil.
At the same time, pro-military activists also turned out to spread their support for the troops from Bakersfield to Berkeley.
"The people who scream the loudest are a fringe minority," said Rob McFadden, a senior politics student at UC Berkeley who passed out yellow ribbons in support of U.S. soliders. "But the fact is they're not the majority and most people support this action."
In West Los Angeles, five people waved American flags in front of the French consulate to protest that country's opposition to the war. They held signs saying "What is France hiding?" and shouted at passing cars: "Boycott France" and "Support our troops."
Larger anti-war demonstrations and vigils were scheduled for Saturday in San Francisco and Los Angeles, while in Long Beach the Surfrider Foundation was coordinating the formation of a giant peace sign consisting of 400 surfboards. In Palo Alto, a multifaith prayers of lament meeting was planned by the First Presbyterian Church.
On Friday, San Francisco continued to be the focal point for anti-war activism.
Before the morning fog had even burned off, police in San Francisco had already arrested more than 80 demonstrators, following a chaotic Thursday when police conceded they completely lost control of the crowds despite arresting about 1,400 people -- including 18 on felony charges.
By Friday morning, police said almost everyone had been released from custody but that they had learned their lesson, and would be bolstered by 450 California Highway Patrol officers determined to keep bridges and major arteries open.
"They think they can do this indefinitely. Not anymore," said police spokesman Dwayne Tully, who said the department had already spent $450,000 containing the protests.
Demonstrators said the change was palpable as police kept the crowd contained and moved in quickly to make arrests.
"Today feels more tense," said Deborah Cooper who brought her son, Casey, 11, with her. "I'm sure the cops are tired and they've gotten a lot of grief."
In downtown Los Angeles on Friday, 27 people were arrested for blocking the street in front of the federal building.
As demonstrators cheered, police in faceshields took away protesters one by one after they had linked arms and sat down in the street.
One of those arrested was Vanessa Acosta, 45, of Highland Park. She knelt in the street and prayed the rosary. She held a sign saying "Peace is the first casualty in war."
She held her hands together in prayer as she was led away.
"I want to give a little bit of myself ... the people in Iraq don't know who I am but at least I know that I'm with them," she said.
And in Sacramento, U.S. marshals arrested about 30 protesters who were blocking the entrances to the federal building.
"I believe we have an illegal government that stole the election, is robbing the treasury and is waging a war against a country that can't resist," said Murray Cohen, 65, before police took him away.
Copyright 2003 by KTVU.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A couple hours ago I was on Market Street (San Francisco) near the Ferry Building. A huge anti-war group was in the streets disrupting traffic, and a bunch of cops in vehicles and on foot rushed up to shove them back on the sidewalks. I got into a verbal tirade with several of the demonstrators. Most likely because I was carrying a small U.S. flag! This one gal was very venomous, saying she knew everything because she is a "reporter". Yeh, right. Her video cameraman also spewed garbage. She's starting to slap at my flag, so I started slapping at her face with it. Ooh, that got a crowd forming around us. I'm getting no where with them, they're at the point of calling me a baby-killer and saying that flag is what's wrong with the country. Pure idiots, these people, after 15 minutes of this I called them what they are, the scum of the Earth and a few other choice words. Another fellow interceded, ratcheting down the volume and led me away, saying he agreed with me. Thanked him, 'cause it was looking dicey for me.
I got on the underground streetcar, and got into a debate with another protester decked out with protest slogans. But this one offered a mannerly conversation sprinkled with logic. We shook hands as we parted. Some protesters are anarchists and some are sane.
I knew I would read this before I read it.
We tried 12 years of peace and the first casualties have been US military aviators being shot at while simply observing the UN mandated No_Fly zone in order to contain Iraq, later to be followed by over 3000 casualties (fatalities) in the WTC attack.
In war, no peace is possible without conflict being resolved. Peace failed to resolve the mentioned conflicts and instead was promoting more terrorism in the future.
E.g. There has been no peace, while Hussein has had authority.
His health.
Police said they had obtained a security videotape showing two men throwing the backpack into bushes in the alley. They have given officers on the street photos of the two men and are hopeful they will be found in the crowds of protesters gathering on San Francisco's streets Friday night.
San Francisco police spokesman Dewayne Tully said officers had also discovered collection of rags, lighter fluid, and "other materials to make incendiary objects with" in front of the Four Seasons Hotel.
I kid you not.
This weekend will be the high point of the protestor's activity.
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