On Sunday, September 14 2008, a peaceful but passionate crowd of about 200 hundred Afghans gathered in front of the Federal Building in Los Angeles in order to voice their dissent against increasing civilian deaths from U.S. air and ground attacks. This demonstration was organized by Afghan Universaty students and comunity leaders from Southern California. The protestors ranged in age from infants to the elderly and the speakers included Afghans from Pashto as well as Farsi speaking backgrounds. The protestors unanimously condemned US air strikes causing death of Afghan civilians like the one on the 22nd of August in the village of Azizabad, near the western city of Herat where U.S. coalition bombs killed up to 95 civilians, including 60 children. As one protestor noted "the lack of compassion" has Afghans abroad and at home questioning the roll of the US military presence.
From the newswire:
Southern CA Afghan Americans protest the US bombing of Afghan civilians by Fatima Mojaddidy and Arash Yusufi
Southern CA Afghan Americans protest the US bombing of Afghan civilians