A United States military airstrike that killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani Thursday evening (Pacific Standard Time) has raised questions about whether the US will soon be entering into a war with Iran. In response to Soleimani’s killing, Portlanders will hold an anti-war protest at Terry Schrunk Plaza on Friday evening.
Organized by the Portland chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), the No War on Iran rally is meant to send a clear message of “anti-war solidarity,” says Olivia Katbi-Smith, Portland DSA’s co-chair.
“The assassination of the Iranian general that [Donald] Trump committed illegally last night was a huge escalation, and they just announced today they’re sending thousands of new [US] troops to the Middle East,” Katbi-Smith told the Mercury. “I think it’s our duty to stand up against it—in all American cities, not just Portland. I think it’s important we show up and protest just like they did for the Iraq War in 2003.”
Katbi-Smith said that while Portland DSA is the demonstration’s only organizing group, she expects to see many other local activist groups in attendance. She added that the rally will “hopefully turn out a lot of people tonight.”
Beyond Friday’s rally, which begins at 5 pm in Terry Schrunk Plaza and is scheduled to last until 7 pm, Portland DSA plans to take further actions if the dynamic between the US and Iran continues to escalate toward war. Katbi-Smith said that could include “organizing workplaces that are connected to the war machine, because there are a lot of them.” Locally, she said, that includes the Boeing facility in Gresham, and Leupold & Stevens, a Beaverton-based company that manufactures military equipment.
Most of Oregon’s representatives in Congress have issued statements condemning Trump’s actions—including Portland Rep. Earl Blumenauer, who urged his fellow lawmakers to “reassert [Congress’] constitutional responsibility before any further escalation.”
“We cannot trust this administration to act responsibly on its own and it is past time to stop the endless wars,” Blumenauer added.
But for Katbi-Smith, the responsibility to resist a potential war falls on “everyday working-class Americans.”
“We do need to take it into our own hands, because we can’t rely on our elected officials right now,” she said. “We’re going to hopefully see more of that type of organizing coming soon, if we have to. … I’m hoping we won’t have to and this won’t escalate further, but I think I’ll probably be wrong.”
