Anti-War Protest in Hollywood, CA

Saturday, March 15th 2008, I skipped my usual shower, put on a smelly old t-shirt, grabbed my camera and some cash and headed over to Hollywood to join in the peace parade. As usual, the event was sponsored by the communist front group International ANSWER and co-hosted by numerous other Marxist and Leftist organizations.

This week marks the 5th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq and so before leaving home, I hung my flag on the front porch and made a mental note to take down my Christmaslights before springtime.

Being an environmentally aware American, I elected to use public transportation so I headed over to the subway station for the short trip to the famous intersection of Hollywood and Vine where the peace people were gathering for the pageant.

As I decended down the escalator, I noticed that a grubby looking bearded young man that I had seen moments before parking his car, had now put on a mask. It was the mask from V for Vendetta. I assumed that he was one of the peace people and was on his way to the pagent as well. I bought a day pass while the masked reveler fumbled around trying to place bills into the vending machine while wearing a mask with sunglasses over it.

As he entered the train, I turned to him and said, "Nice mask. Can I take a picture?"...before he could answer, I snaped him in the face and thanked him.

He sat at the other end of the car facing away from me, I guess he was shy. The train doors stayed open for a long time, then a security guard came in and walked directly over to the peacefully masked Vigilante and told him to take off his mask or get off the train. V refused. The train was silent, but everyone was watching. V said it was his "right to conceal his face". The security gaurd said, "Then it’s my job to take you off this train". The guard told him that he would call the police - who were already on the premises - if he didn’t remove the mask. V slowly took off the mask and slouched his head down. When the train reach Hollywood and Vine, I got off but Mr. Vendetta stayed on the train. I looked back as I walked away and he was looking at me, the mask back on his face.

The station was full and as I came up the stairs that bring you to Hollywood Blvd I saw it…

…The Frolic Room, the last of the old bars on Hollwood Blvd. It was still early, the subway being much quicker than driving, so I went in and drank a pre-noon toast to Charles Bukowski.

With a Budweiser in my belly I headed down the block to the fair. The peace people were everywhere along the way, all heading to the big rally.

Everyone seemed happy to show off their new signs.

Even the kids got involved.

Some of the kids were less enthusiastic than the others.

Finally the time came for the peace parade to begin. Everyone waved their signs and carried their banners.

The crowd was as diverse as America herself. There were Communists, Socialists, Anarchists, Democrats, Pacifists, Muslims, and angry Koreans with drums.

There were even some counter protestors.

This guy seemed especially menacing.

It was a colorful march and the air was brisk as flags flapped in the wind.

But where was the American flag?… Oh, there it is…

The word was, that this year, the march would end on the very doorstep of the fascist corporate media. How could they ignore a crowd of thousands of ordinary Americans waving banners and shouting for peace, justice, and an end to Capitalism and American Imperialism?

And as we rounded the bend and headed down Sunset Blvd, I saw it, the very symbol of corporate America’s lies and propaganda, the CNN building!

The march ended in a large mass right at the front entrance of the building. A stage was set up and people spoke of revolution and peace and social justice. The US Presidential candidate of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Gloria La Riva, was there.

But the Presidential candidate that seemed to be the most popular was the man himself, Barack Obama.

And there was no shortage of Republicans on hand still hoping for a Ron Paul victory.

There were also plenty of Twoofers on hand, many of whom seemed to be Ron Paul supporters as well.

Almost everyone dressed up for the event.

Keffiyehs and hijabs were quite common both as fashion accessories and as political statements.

Covering your face with a scarf is pretty trendy, lots of folks were doing it.

Code pink was there.

The World Can’t Wait was there in orange jumpsuits.

International ANSWER sent their people around with buckets for donations

There was plenty of shopping.

I took one last stroll around the fair and thought about all the colorful people that I had seen that day.

And all those witty and defiant signs and placards.

The corporate media fascists in the CNN building never came out to hear their accusors.

As I headed back to the subway station I realized that I had not seen even one sign or button or even a bumper sticker supporting Hillary Clinton, not one. Then I noticed something high at the top of one of those new trendy and expensive lofts…

Hillary!!!

Date Posted: 3/16/08

Epilogue

After I posted this report I received a number of emails informing me that the fellow I photographed wearing the Vendetta mask was, in fact, on his way to a protest… only this was not the same protest that I was going to. He was not one of the "peace people" after all. He was part of a group called Anonymous and he was headed to a protest outside of one of the many Scientology buildings in Hollywood.

This would also explain this picture, which I snapped at the Vine St. Metro station later that same day…

I had no knowledge of Anonymous before last Sunday, but from what I’ve read over the past few days, I like them.

What actually made the story interesting to me was the question of allowing a person with a full backpack, and their face covered, to ride on a subway car.

Is it their right to do so?

The security guard was prepared to call the police, and I was glad to see that the train was not about to leave the station until it was settled. Mr. V did the right thing when he removed the mask.

Still, I must wonder, if it had been a woman wearing a full niqab who had walked onto that train, back-pack in tow, would they have asked her to remove her veil?

Date Posted: 3/18/08

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