Pelosi’s Home Scene of Protest by Code Pink
By Phil Pasquini
San Francisco: The home of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in its bucolic neighborhood was the scene of a protest on December 3 organized by Code Pink in demanding that she join the 50 members of Congress now in support of House Resolution 786 calling f or an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
The group is also calling for ending additional military and monetary support for the war and in ending the continued incursions on the West Bank by the IDF and ending settler violence against Palestinians.
Activists blocked the sidewalk and entrance to the home along with its driveway where they chalked messages to the speaker and her family. They also chalked outlines made during a die-in, symbolic of the 15,000 Palestinians now murdered by Israeli forces including 6,150 children. One message asks the former speaker, “How many dead children is enough, Nancy” in calling for her support for a ceasefire. A large banner was held by two people with the message, “Israel out of US Congress” relating to contributions made to lawmakers from pro-Israel sources which, according to Open Secrets website, Pelosi received a total of $51,985 in 2022.
In addressing this humanitarian crisis and the lack of international condemnation, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper recently asked, “Can anyone imagine any other nation killing more than 700 civilians in 24 hours – and more than 15,000 in mere weeks - not being universally condemned, with swift international action being taken? Why is Israel not only exempt from the repudiation that any other genocidal regime would face, but also the recipient of more bombs with which to massacre a civilian population?” Hooper also questioned the Western media’s continuing repetition of Israeli propaganda seeking to justify its genocide and ethnic cleansing.
Earlier on November 29, activists protested and held vigils at several offices of San Francisco Bay Area Democratic Congress members including Eric Swalwell (D-CA) in Castro Valley, Anna A. Eshoo (D-CA) in Palo Alto and Jared Huffman (D-CA) in San Rafael. Protesters demanded that the representatives immediately support HR 786 for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
At a candlelight vigil outside of Congressman Jared Huffman’s office in Marin County organized by 14 Friends of Palestine, one Jewish Israeli-American speaker addressing the small crowd confessed that “I was an ardent Zionist and an IDF soldier and I call for Israel to turn from Zionism to Humanism.” After a moment of silence was held and as the reading of the names of dead children commenced, church bells at the Mission San Rafael began tolling the hour in the background adding a more sober note to the wanton loss of human life.
One sign held by an activist in the crowd called to “End the Israeli occupation of Congress and our media!” It should be noted, too, that Huffman in 2022 received a total of $13,500 in contributions from pro-Israel sources according to Open Secrets, for an aggerate career total of $55,570.
In 2022, a total of $30,940,583 in contributions was made to Congress by pro-Israel sources. This figure does not include, however, the largess that is spent on lobbying lawmakers in influencing their views on Israel.
Sadly, as worldwide demonstrations have continued daily, so has the killing of so many innocent civilians.
Photos by Phil Pasquini
(Phil Pasquini is a freelance journalist and photographer. His reports and photographs appear in the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs and Nuze.ink. He is the author of Domes, Arches and Minarets: A History of Islamic-Inspired Buildings in America.)
