On April 8, 2017, anti-war demonstrators in New York City gathered at Union Square for an emergency protest against the U.S. launching missiles into Syria and the subsequent killing of innocent civilians.
The previous evening, the Pentagon announced that 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired at a Syrian airfield, killing over 80 civilians. Americans watched President Donald Trump announce the military strike from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida as video of missiles launching from U.S. naval ships played on major news networks.
MSNBC’s Brian Williams referred to the Pentagon footage as “beautiful pictures of fearsome armaments,” reminding him of a line from Leonard Cohen’s “First We Take Manhattan” saying, “I am guided by the beauty of our weapons.”
CNN’s Fareed Zakaria said, “I think Donald Trump became president of the United States last night.” Others agreed that Trump’s speech made him appear more presidential.
At least 1.3 million lives were lost in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan between 2001 and 2015. Death tolls continue to increase through U.S.-led wars in Syria, Somalia, Yemen, and Libya, as well as other U.S. backed wars with no end in sight.
Below are several photos of people demonstrating against these U.S. war efforts in the name of saving innocent lives and the destruction of land.
An anti-war demonstrator sheds a tear over the repetition of history at an emergency rally against U.S. military strikes in Syria on April 8, 2017.
Two anti-war demonstrators share a loving moment while speaking out against U.S. military strikes in Syria on April 8, 2017.
An anti-war demonstrator speaks out against U.S. military strikes in Syria on April 8, 2017.
“Refugees are welcome here,” has become a common slogan used by demonstrators speaking out against the anti-immigrant policies of the Trump administration.
An anti-fascist demonstrator builds a make-shift banner out of Refuse Fascism protest signs during an emergency rally against U.S. military strikes in Syria.
Often a divisive symbol, a Palestinian flag flies during an anti-war demonstration against the U.S. military strikes in Syria on April 8, 2017.
An anti-war demonstrator holds a Palestinian flag over her shoulder while attending an emergency rally against the U.S. military strikes in Syria on April 8, 2017.
Student anti-war demonstrators organized the emergency rally against the U.S. launching of missiles into Syria on the evening of April 8, 2017.
William Fowler Portfolio 