Today thousands gathered in front of San Francisco's City Hall, with many more spilling into the street and into Civic Center Plaza. It was a gesture of fraternity- of solidarity, and of mourning for the lives lost in France this week.
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| San Francisco in solidarity with France. |
The crowd held candles, French and American flags, and pens. Some carried copies of Charlie Hebro cartoons, or signs expressing solidarity.
Some held signs in remembrance of the four Jews who were killed in the kosher market, and the French police officers killed in the line of duty
There were some elements that were conspicuously absent. There was no finger pointing, no blame games, no anger and no ugliness, no racist chants. There were no enraged marches down the street, no vandalizing buildings, no setting trash cans on fire.
All regular elements of a Bay Area anti-Israel rally were missing.
The Arab resource Organizing Center, Al Awda, and Jewish Voice for Peace could learn a thing or two by emulating the quiet dignity of today's event. I'm not holding my breath.
