Code Pink, military supporters clash in Berkeley
Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
(10-17) 14:38 PDT Berkeley -- Dozens of flag-waving military supporters squared off boisterously with peace activists today in the first major showdown over of a U.S. Marine Corps recruiting station that until recently had been operating below the radar in downtown Berkeley.
Demonstrators led by conservative radio talk-show host Melanie Morgan shouted down members of Code Pink, a group spawned by Bay Area peace activists, as both lined Shattuck Avenue and Addison Street outside the recruiting station, which was closed today.
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The two sides shouted at each other and at times yelled the same slogans, including "Support the troops."
"USA," one group chanted. "Out of Iraq," responded the others, who said they were angry that the station, which relocated from Alameda, is in close proximity to Berkeley High School, UC Berkeley and Berkeley City College.
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But David Santos, 15, of Oakland, said the conservative element was on the wrong side of the issue.
"They represent the social base that's giving rise to this imperialistic war. Their so-called patriotic attitude," he said, "just shows they're blatant disregard for humanity and what the flag stands for. The very fact that they're holding it up is enough for us to be out here."
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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/17/BA54SRJLE.DTL&tsp=1 CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin, left, has a face off with Melanie Morgan, local radio personality and founder of Move America Forward. Pro-military demonstrators faced off in downtown Berkeley against CodePink on Wednesday, saying the anti-war group defaced a Marines recruiting center that opened in Berkeley last January. Chronicle photo by Michael Maloney
Deborah Johns of Granite Bay has a heated discussion with Asher Wolf of Richmond, who is a supporter of CodePink. Johns has a son, Marine Corps Sgt. William Johns, who is currently serving in Iraq. Pro-military demonstrators faced off in downtown Berkeley against CodePink on Wednesday, saying the anti-war group defaced a Marines recruiting center that opened in Berkeley last January. Chronicle photo by Michael Maloney