Grassroots Action

Bronx Seniors Demonstrate Against the War

From Lewis Friedman: On June 27, "[a]bout 20 anti-war demonstrators (there have been as many as 40 demonstrators), residents of Kittay House in the Bronx and most in their eighties and nineties, demonstrated against the war in front of their senior residence and across the street from the Bronx Veterans Administration Hospital. Many vets in the passing the demonstration in the street and in cars gave the thumbs up. In fact, one vet in his car gave the thumbs up and showed us his "Desert Storm" cap. Another approached and thanked us for the demonstration. Most people on the street and in vehicles are black and Latino, most likely because of the makeup of the community and because Bronx vets tend to be black and Latino. Cars and buses honk their horns in support responding to the sign held by a number of seniors, 'Honk for Peace.' At one point this week, cars, trucks and buses vied with each other to create the loudest and longest honk for peace. Almost all city bus drivers honk and many people in buses flash the V sign. Two weeks ago on a very hot afternoon, a man in a BMW stopped his car in front of the demonstrators, open the truck of his car and began passing out bottled water to all the participants and finally left a case of the water on the street for us. They demonstrate every Tuesday afternoon at 2:15."

Click here to see a short video from the June 27 demonstration. Photos and video courtesy of Lewis Friedman.