Festive Rally in S.F. Attacks Reagan Policy
A crowd of protesters estimated by police at 6,000 marched into the Civic Center on Saturday with balloons and banners for a festive rally against President Reagan’s foreign policy and cuts in domestic social programs.
The “Mobilization for Peace, Jobs and Justice” was organized by several religious, labor and anti-nuclear groups as a protest against increased government spending for military efforts and cuts in funding for such programs as AIDS research.
Participants started the march at San Francisco’s Dolores Park and streamed to the Civic Center carrying signs proclaiming, “AIDS Funds Save Lives, Reagan Cuts Medical Research,” “Bread Not Bullets,” “Stop Reagan’s War Against Libya,” and other slogans.
At the Civic Center, many marchers dipped their feet into the fountain as the smell of suntan lotion permeated the air.
Vendors sold political literature, T-shirts and fast foods such as Salvadoran turkey sandwiches, ice cream, nachos and soft drinks. A woman translated the words of a group of gospel singers into sign language for the deaf.
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