More than 150 demonstrators gathered in front of the San Francisco Federal Building today to protest Israel's military action in Gaza.
A group of protesters was blocking the entrance to the building around 11:15 a.m., chanting, "Hey hey, ho ho, the occupation has to go."
They were sitting with their arms linked and holding signs that said "Gaza is Warsaw," and "Another Jew for Justice in Gaza: Free Palestine."
Others demonstrators were chanting "Stop bombing Gaza. Stop bombing children."
"I'm abhorred at the silence of our government," 53-year-old El Cerrito resident Toby Blome said.
Blome, who was carrying a rag doll she said symbolized the deaths of young Palestinian children, said demonstrators felt that their rights were being violated because they were not allowed into the building to talk to U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi.
A San Francisco police officer at the scene would not say whether there had been any problems or arrests related to the protest.
Local
The rally was organized by the Gaza Action Coalition, which includes Al-Awda, Free Palestine Alliance, Arab American Union Member Council, American Muslims for Palestine, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, the ANSWER Coalition, Direct Action to Stop the War, Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism, Women in Black and International Action Center.